Protect His Honor
by Tobirion
Summary: Cloud's mom makes him go to a Keepers of Honor meeting thinking that it's a club for those who want to protect their virginity after joining the military. Cloud finds that the Keepers is actually kind of the opposite. [Cloud/Angeal's Fanclub] [Zack/Cloud] [Angeal/Cloud]
1. Chapter 1

Even thousands of miles away—even _across the planet_ from him—Cloud's mom was able to get him to do something he did not want to do. At age two it was putting on his diaper and not running around the house naked. At age six it was eating carrots. At age thirteen it was going to his shithole of a middle school. At seventeen, it was joining a club.

The Keepers of Honor wasn't just any old recreational club that ShinRa Electric and Power offered. There were clubs for volleyball and running and even knitting. Some clubs were open to only SOLDIERs and some were only available to those in the Infantry. Some were even for executives.

ShinRa was smart this way. With so many hundreds of people living inside ShinRa tower on top of the Plate in such close quarters, and with so many hundreds of people risking their lives every single day, a sense of community was important. The company encouraged its employees to have fun together and hell, even find love together (the tax breaks for marrying a fellow ShinRa employee were astronomical. It minimized damaged paid to outside spouses following a death on a mission).

There were little groups for everyone, including those like Cloud Strife who wanted to save his virginity until after he got married—which is why his mother had him trudging up an endless twenty flights of stairs to the Keepers of Honor's first meeting of the month.

Well, to be perfectly honest, Cloud didn't have an opinion about his virginity either way. He'd spent a lot of time talking about it with Tifa, his best friend from back home, and she read a lot of fancy blogs online and stuff since her house had internet access. Virginity, she'd told him with a serious look in her eyes, was a _social construct._

Basically that meant it didn't mean shit.

But it meant a lot to Cloud Strife's mother, so here he was. This was day twelve of being in the military and on day one he'd mailed home a piece of paper with club listings on it. Some old lady in town had sworn to his mother that she'd heard the name _the Keepers of Honor_ before and talked to his mother about it—and in the end they'd told him that a friend of someone's friend had once said that the Keepers of Honor was a club for those who wanted to remain _pure_ after joining the Sin den that was the military.

It really hadn't taken a whole lot of convincing from his mother to get him to go, honestly. Cloud reached the floor the Keepers meeting was on, the 22nd, and lingered awkwardly by the stairwell. People occasionally emerged from the elevator and Cloud eyed them, watching to see what kind of people they were.

Mrs. Strife had been saddened by Cloud leaving Nibelheim and joining the military, of course… and, well, Cloud felt bad about it. It was hard seeing his mom cry as he packed up his stuff and left home with promises to be a hero and to make her proud… so really, if going to this club's meeting would make her happy, Cloud would go.

Now that he was in the hall for it though, _going_ was the last thing Cloud wanted to do.

The new Infantryman sighed and scuffed his boots on the shiny floors. He debated going back to the stairwell and walking up and down a bit more to procrastinate. With the meeting set to start in four minutes though, Cloud eventually sucked it up and entered the correct room. It was an average classroom where one would learn about materia theory or tactics. It was fairly full, too, with around twenty people sitting around in chairs.

Almost all of them were fellow Infantry. There were Keepers of Honor meetings for just SOLDIERs too. Cloud had been surprised by just how many subgroups of the Keepers there were… waiting until marriage must be as popular in the city as it was back in Nibelheim.

That was pretty interesting, Cloud mused as he sat down in a chair in the back. A nearby girl turned her head and smiled at him briefly; Cloud flashed a polite one in return. He was pretty sure she was in his rifles and ammunition training every other morning.

Someone had headphones in and their feet up, head bobbing. Someone else was asleep on the desk. Most people were talking to friends quietly or tapping away on their PHSs.

Then a stressed-looking Captain came in carrying boxes of pizza and bags of chips. "Hey guys, sorry I'm a couple minutes late," he said. "You all can start eating while I get the projector set up."

Cloud had only been in the military twelve days but even he knew that when there was free food you fought to the death over it. He was up and out of his chair before he was really aware of it.

Once he was seated again, his mood lifted somewhat by the pizza slices in both hands, Cloud studied the room again.

He wondered if anyone else was like him. If their parents were making them come to these meetings. He eyed a girl with a shaved head and basilisk tattoos behind her ears. Maybe it was a religious thing for her and some of the others. Cloud absolutely respected that.

Maybe that boy over there just had really strong values, the one with the dozens of short, floppy dreads. Cloud respected that too.

Putting a lot of stock in virginity was a great thing for a lot of people. If everyone in this room wanted to wait until marriage to have sex that was great, but for Cloud himself, who knew wh—

"Alright!" cried the Captain as the projector coming from the ceiling finally whirred to life. Cloud blinked hard, coming out of his thoughts. He felt a little awkward in the back by himself—he had not made any friends yet at ShinRa, unfortunately—but peeling the pepperoni off and eating them individually was placating him.

"So guys," said the Captain "I've got some good news."

"That dating rumor with the lead actress in LOVELESS is fake?"

The Captain shook his shaggy brown hair out of his face. "That wasn't my news, no—but I mean, it _has_ to be false. She's not Angeal's type at all." Cloud ate steadily, his eyebrows furrowing a bit at the irrelevant SOLDIER gossip. "Anyway my news is that the Silver Elite reached out to us about tabling at the annual ShinRa parade and festival this year. They want Infantry volunteering on Saturday and SOLDIERs on Sunday, so if anyone would be interested, that's next month."

The Keepers of Honor were friends with the Silver Elite, Sephiroth's fanclub? Huh. Cloud wouldn't have guessed. Well… he knew that the Silver Elite was massive. It made sense that some of them were concerned with virginity too, just statistically speaking.

Cloud didn't know much about the Silver Elite, other than that he desperately wanted to join. He had a poster of Sephiroth above his bed back home. Cloud understood that some other SOLDIERs had fanclubs too, but he was positive that none of those were as big as Sephiroth's, whatever they were.

Sephiroth was the best.

The projector was plugged into the Captain's PHS and he flicked to a picture with a news logo splashed on it. It was of Angeal Hewley in a bathing suit.

Cloud's chewing slowed.

"I thought I'd kick off this meeting with _this_ ," the Captain said. The tag across his chest read _Moss_. "Angeal just had a couple days' vacation in Costa and someone snapped these from a room at the same hotel building, apparently."

"Fuck," said the girl with the basilisk tattoos loudly, throwing up her hands in mock-defeat. "That's just cruel of him."

There were some murmurs of agreement. Most people still had mouthfuls of pizza. Cloud nibbled some cheese off his finger as he tilted his head, eyes narrowing as Moss zoomed in on Angeal's bare chest. The SOLDIER's skin filled the screen at the front of the room. He was muscular as hell, but in a nice way that appealed to Cloud. He had pecs you could squeeze in your hands. Those delicious little ridged muscles on his sides by his ribcage. Pebbled nipples from the pool Cloud assumed he'd just gotten out of, and a lovely dark treasure trail leading down from his belly button to the top of the brightly-colored bathing suit.

Everyone took a long few moments to appreciate the view.

Then Moss scrolled down.

The bathing suit was little. It was short, like boxer-briefs, leaving most of Angeal's legs exposed. It was a bright neon blue with little red stripes going across. The horizontal pattern of the stripes was noticeably distended by the… massive fucking bulge in the front of his bathing suit.

As Cloud stared at Angeal's soft dick (maybe it was even a little excited?) heat crept into his cheeks.

He cast glances to the left and to the right eyeing everyone else in the room. No one else was acting like this was abnormal, even the others who had started with him twelve days ago! Maybe this was something about temptation, starting each meeting with something sinful (because man, Cloud had never really paid that much attention to Angeal before in magazines and stuff because he only had eyes for Sephiroth, but Angeal _was_ sinful). Then soon they'd all talk about how even though the body may have thirsted for Angeal and that cock Cloud couldn't stop staring at, it was important to resist that urge, because true love would appease the Gods and…

Cloud had a bad habit of getting stuck in his thoughts and when he focused on the screen again Moss had pulled up another photo, this one from behind. Angeal really must have just pulled himself from the water because he had… a wedgie.

The tight bathing suit was wedged right between the cheeks of his ass, accentuating the globes which Cloud could tell from here were muscular as fuck. Forget his pecs, the dude had a grabbable ass, the perfect kind of male 'bubble butt' that must have looked amazing when he bent over or had his legs spread, that big heavy cock hanging down…

Cloud stuffed as much of a pizza crust into his mouth as he could, frantically chewing to distract himself from the fiery blush on his cheeks.

"Damn," Moss whistled. "Bless whoever got these pictures, am I right?"

Back to the photo with the bulge. "I want me a mouthful of that," someone muttered under their breath from the back row.

Angeal had tan lines on his legs. The bathing suit was rising up a bit towards his inner thigh and Cloud could see a color difference. Things were paler there. Angeal must have worn this bathing suit often, or gotten a lot of sun on his vacation.

"I can't tell," said a girl a couple desks in front of Cloud, "if he's got the beginnings of a boner or not?" She twisted around in her seat and shrugged at everyone else. "It looks like he might? It's just so hard to tell when he's so big."

"I know," laughed someone else, "we spend way too much time staring at his dick trying to figure this shit out."

Moss held a hand to his chest and gasped dramatically. " _Too much time_ staring at Angeal's junk? I don't think there is such a thing."

Cloud dropped his pizza onto his plate and staggered for the door. He whispered a hasty _pardon me, so sorry_ as he squeezed past two people who sent him quiet smirks. He burst into the hallway and shut the door behind him, skittering a dozen or so feet to the left so no one could see him through the glass panel in the door.

Cloud put his hands on his knees and bent over like he'd just run a mile.

The odds of the Keepers of Honor being a club about saving your virginity until marriage were extremely low. They were so low they were microscopic. They were as low as the odds Cloud had back home of losing his virginity before he left for the military.

"Holy shit," Cloud breathed. Even his ears burned.

His small-town sensibilities had his mind blown. He almost trembled for a minute, standing there alone in a hallway, his skin a million degrees and his cock confused. Those people had been talking about how bad they wanted Angeal's ass _right out in the open like it was nothing_!

Despite being from a small country town, and despite only being 5'7" and _already finished growing_ according to his doctors, Cloud Strife wasn't afraid of fucking anything. He adjusted his pants, wiped pizza sauce off his cheek with the back of his hand and marched his ass back inside the room.

A cute boy winked at him as he sat back down. Cloud didn't care if they'd thought he'd run out to jerk off or something. He hadn't. He'd just had a bit of an anxiety attack for a second but he was good now. He could ride out the rest of this club's meeting, whatever it was.

Those who thought SOLDIERs were super hot, perhaps? Now _there_ was a club he belonged in…

Moss had switched from those steaming pictures of beach-bound Angeal to a presentation. _Keepers of Honor Infantry Subdivision: 1_ _st_ _meeting of the new quarter,_ it read in big text over the top, with a sweet smiling picture of Angeal below.

"For those who are joining us for the first time," he was saying, "Sorry if those pictures seemed like a weird way to start our first meeting! I was just _really_ excited about them—for obvious reasons, right?"

"I would've been disappointed if you saved them for the end, Tom," someone called from the very back of the room, a row behind Cloud.

"Exactly. So they went first. Anyways, welcome to all the new folks, I'm seeing a few new faces… usually our meetings are about this many people. We meet Mondays and Thursdays, and obviously not everyone can make all these meetings with patrols and missions and stuff, so you're only ever gonna see, like, a third of us here at once, if that. Maybe a quarter. Uh, anyway—" Moss seemed a little overwhelmed, like leading these were new for him, "As most of you know, Thompson just became a Third Class. Yeah, yeah, good for him. There were elections a couple weeks ago at the end of the last quarter and so here I am, the new President for the Infantry subdivision…"

There was some applause. Moss gave a gracious bow. "We've got Sandy Li over there as Treasurer," basilisk tattoo girl turned and waved at everybody, "and Precious Price is Secretary, but she can only make the Thursday meetings. I figured we could go around and introduce ourselves for the sake of the new folks?"

Cloud was bad with names. Shandra Jones. Sam Buck. Helena Wilde. Adrian Bones. Nanuq Lund. Jack Benson. Latisha Duval. Mario Vincetti. Other names that slid off his brain immediately like oil on water. When it was his turn he smiled as best he could around the room and said a simple, "Hey. I'm Cloud Strife. I'm also part of the newest batch." Then he looked at the next person, signaling it was their turn.

Most people had a sentence or two about Angeal Hewley to add: _He's just so hot; I joined the military to be closer to him; I found out my mom and I are both part of the Keepers when he was on TV and we both said, 'He's perfect' at the same time; I have a dildo that's supposed to be his dimensions from someone who slept with him years ago if anyone wants to see it sometime; Angeal stopped a monster infestation outside my hometown six months ago and I fell in love._

Cloud didn't have anything to say about Angeal Hewley to, he suspected, people that were part of his fanclub. There was just too much Hewley so far during this meeting for it to be anything but.

 _A club for saving your virginity until after marriage._ Gaia save him.

It was embarrassing, but Cloud had such a good time he didn't really mind.

Moss ran through the presentation he prepared. There were actually official orders of business. Other than the volunteering with the Silver Elite at the parade and festival, the Keepers were in the process of planting a fucking forest outside Junon in Angeal's name. This wasn't just the Infantry; it was a joint initiative with SOLDIER and the massive civilian chapters which outnumbered ShinRa ones 4 to 1.

Apparently the forest was coming along well. Fundraising efforts from various Keeper activities across the planet raised money to buy new saplings and volunteers planted them. "We're currently in talks with some COs to see if any Keepers in the Infantry can be put on a 'mission' together to get out there to Junon at the same time and plant some trees ourselves."

"That would be so cool," said Wilde, the girl from his ammunition class. Cloud had remembered that name, at least.

The annual _fanclub Olympics_ was coming up in a couple months—seriously. Cloud kind of couldn't believe how into it these fanclubs were. Li stood up and crossed her arms, scowling at everybody. "The Study Group beat us in the 400M relay last year—yeah, _the Study Group,_ I know. We came in second place, but at least we beat the Silver Elite and Red Leather. So practice your sprints for the next four months, everyone."

Red Leather must have been Genesis Rhapsodos' fanclub. Cloud had no idea who the Study Group favored though. Maybe the Director, Lazard? Not having internet at home really screwed him over when it came to this kind of stuff, huh…

After running through the business things Moss turned off the projector and told everyone to get seconds if there was any pizza left, and to just chill. He enthusiastically ended with, "Keepers, why are we here?"

"To Protect his Honor!" everyone chorused back except for Cloud.

People chilled. These clubs seemed like social events too… to just make friends and hang out.

Cloud liked that, but making friends and hanging out wasn't something he was good at. Nibelheim still left a raw feeling in his throat. He'd struggled to make friends and after a while adopted an _I'm too cool for you all anyway_ attitude and turned into a massive dick.

His shyness kept him in his seat as everyone else got up and started to mingle, and flames of those old feelings prickled at him. _You should just leave—they're all obsessed with Angeal anyway, what's the point of making friends with them_?

Luckily Helena Wilde came over to him while catching dripping pizza grease from her folded slice on her plate. "Hi," she said, chewing, "Aren't you in one of my classes?"

Cloud nodded at her, playing it cool. "I think it's Rifles and Ammunition."

"Ah!" She sat right on his desk, putting one foot up on the desk beside his. She sent Cloud's plate askew and he caught it before any chip crumbs could hit the floor. "That's right. You ready for the quiz tomorrow morning?"

It was on all the different rifle models ShinRa offered its infantry troops. "Ugh, I don't think so. I only studied a little bit for it."

"I haven't even done that. Rifles are just…"

"Boring," Cloud answered with a sigh. "I'm way more interested in swords."

"Mmhmm." Wilde nodded. "Hey, Benson."

The Black boy with all the little dreads turned around from a conversation he'd been having with a cluster of boys in the back. He got up and ambled closer. Wilde said, "Swords or rifles?"

"Oh, rifles," Benson said, grinning at both of them. "In training this morning they showed us the newest rifle model. It's got these great scopes and rapid fire and reloading—it'll be unstoppable." He must have been in the opposite class from Cloud and Wilde if he had it that morning, then; Cloud's was tomorrow morning and the previous day. This morning he'd had a hand-to-hand class Wilde wasn't part of and then a materia class, since he was on the SOLDIER track. In the afternoon was boot camp and he was so sore from it.

The three of them debated swords vs. rifles for a while. Cloud was actually pretty passionate about swords. Masamune had always fascinated him. The fact that Sephiroth could wield a thing like that so effortlessly… and Angeal's Buster Sword too—it was just so amazing.

After swallowing his courage and convincing himself that he didn't give a shit if they didn't care to hear what he had to say, Cloud told them about a sword he'd been designing himself for the past year or so. He sketched it out in all of his notebook margins. It would have seven interlocking pieces and he was pretty sure he'd figured out how to make the mechanisms work, after reading a bunch of engineering books from the Nibelheim library since he was interested in motorcycles, too.

Rather than telling him it was stupid like all the kids in Nibelheim did Benson and Wilde said it sounded _awesome_. "I have no idea how you'd actually get that to work," Wilde said, "But if you could pull it off, that would be so cool."

"Yeah. If I make SOLDIER, that's what I want to wield."

"No, it's _when_ you make SOLDIER, man." Benson elbowed him. "You on the SOLDIER track too, Wilde?"

"Yup! I'm just going to have a basic sword I think—I'm going for the magic user corps. I'm in an advanced materia class." She puffed out her chest.

"You could get a magic blade like Genesis," Benson said. "It glows red and grows and stuff."

Wilde tsked. "Did you know that every single one of my girl friends back home is in Red Leather? I've heard enough about Genesis's sword to last me a lifetime."

"Mmm," Benson said, licking his lips, "I wouldn't mind hearing more about _Angeal's_ sword."

Wilde rolled her eyes but Cloud laughed out loud. No one back home was this free about this kind of stuff. No one encouraged the kind of embarrassing love he had for Sephiroth, either. He wasn't about to wax poetic about Sephiroth right in front of some of Angeal's fans, but… it was a nice feeling, all the same.

Being accepted, a bit, and not being an outcast. That got old fast.

Cloud spoke for a few minutes with Moss. The guy was a CO technically outside of this room. He was a little older than Cloud but an inch shorter. Cloud thanked him for leading today's meeting and Moss almost went cross-eyed staring at him.

"Oh, my gosh," Moss said, a little flustered. "You're so welcome, dude." He laughed as he turned away to gather his stuff and Cloud knew he had just made that guy's day.

He said _later_ to Benson and _see you tomorrow morning_ to Wilde.

Halfway back down the stairwell to his barrack the good vibes from that first meeting faded a bit and Cloud's feet slowed. He stopped short on the stairs and stared at the concrete wall in front of him.

What the fuck did he tell his mother?

That night he sat on his bunk cross-legged and stared at a piece of paper spread on a hardcover book in his lap. There were nine other boys in a large room, separated by a wall to the next grouping of ten boys, and so on. The self-identified boys were on this floor and self-identified girls upstairs. Cloud wasn't sure where the nonbinary Infantry were; he'd overheard two troopers talking about that very thing at the table behind his at lunchtime in the cafeteria. Still, ShinRa was pretty progressive.

At least half of the dudes around him weren't straight, Cloud knew. His mom had warned him about that kind of thing before he joined the military… not because she was weird about queer people, she wasn't, but because someone in town had scared her with talk of orgies in the military and young country boys being taken advantage of and ending up in sex slaving rings and Gaia knew what else.

If you drop your soap in those communal showers, Cloud's mom had once told him with a serious expression on her face, I want you to politely ask someone else to pick it up for you.

Cloud had laughed in her face, because that sounded like a shitty porn intro. Not that she knew he watched those, or sometimes skipped past the intro to the good parts with the fucking so he could get off really quickly.

According to Nibel lore you were in their Gods' favor if you were still a virgin. There was an emphasis on staying 'pure' physically so that your mind could receive the wisdom of the Gods more easily. If you were married then you could have sex, the idea being that then the couple would conceive and the Gods' love and affection could flow to the fetus growing inside the mother.

Cloud's mom didn't dislike those who did have sex before marriage and she wouldn't hate or cast away Cloud if he did the same. She just… Cloud was all she had—Cloud was her whole universe, and she loved him so much. If anyone deserved favor from the Gods it was him.

And Cloud knew that. Cloud knew how much it meant to his mother that he was looked after from the heavens and protected so far away from home. Her religious views brought her a lot of peace, and Cloud didn't want to ruin any of that for her.

So he responded:

 _Dear Mom,_

 _I hope everything is going well back home. It's hard to believe it's only been twelve days since I joined ShinRa. So much has happened in so little time. I can run for a lot longer now than I used to be able to, even though I'm sore almost constantly! And even though I can't cast any spells with materia yet I can sort of feel this hum from one if I hold it, which is more than a lot of the other new infantrymen, honestly. I was worried that I'd be one of the worst here… but all my training back home really paid off. I'm doing well._

 _The Keepers meeting went well too. I made some friends, you'd be happy. There was some really great pizza at the meeting, and the pizza they have in the cafeteria is worse than that one I made and burnt in the oven when I was around ten, you remember that? You took a bite to be nice to me, I can't believe you actually choked that down._

 _Oh yeah! I got a really quick glance at Sephiroth the other day! I was in one of the really big glass elevators they have here. You can see out at almost everything in the main area of the tower. I was up pretty high but I saw Sephiroth come in the main entrance. Then I got so high up I couldn't really see him anymore (maybe I need glasses?) but knowing he was there was awesome!_

 _I look forward to hearing from you soon.  
Love you lots,_

 _Cloud_

Just a few sentences about the meeting, short and sweet. Emphasis on making friends. Quickly distract her with a sweet childhood memory that will leave her feeling fond. Dang, Cloud Strife was good.

None of the other nine boys bothered talking to him and Cloud didn't bother himself talking to them. He folded his letter into an envelope, addressed it and stamped it, deciding to drop it off in the mail on his way to breakfast the next morning. Then he curled up under his thin blanket and went to bed.

The next major crisis of Cloud's life came on Thursday, naturally. The first Keepers of Honor meeting had been surprisingly successful after he'd nearly shat himself in embarrassment and confusion. Now the question was… did he go back?

It would be fun. He liked the people he'd seen before. But—he didn't like Angeal Hewley as much as he liked Sephiroth, and he felt a little guilty about that. But also, going back was deepening the lie he was telling his mother…

Well, he rationalized as he took the stairs up from the ground floor again (the elevators made him a little motion sick most of the time), his mom would probably keep asking about how the meetings were going. He might as well.

There was a different crowd this time. He saw some familiar faces, like Benson, but lots were new too. Most of the Infantry had been around much longer than Cloud, and they did more things and were entrusted with more dangerous and difficult missions. Cloud hadn't even been on any yet, though he had his first real patrol the day before, in Sector Eight. It was the 'newbie' sector because most of the folks there liked ShinRa compared to some other sectors below the plate.

Cloud had enjoyed himself, actually, and even gotten to use his newly issued baton on a rowdy drunk man staggering out of a bar at 3 pm trying to pick a fight with a shop owner.

But anyway, there were new faces. Cloud's stubborn shyness crept up on him and he tucked himself into a back corner.

Moss didn't bring food this time. Must have been a first meeting thing. He did have a hilarious icebreaker though where everyone had to pretend they had a week-long vacation with Angeal. Where would they go and what would they do?

Most of the answers were something along the lines of _Costa del Sol, and we'd fuck constantly for a week._ Some were sweet and about romantic getaways. Someone said Banora, which Cloud learned was Angeal's hometown, where Angeal would get to show him all about where he'd grown up and what places held meaning for him.

When it was Cloud's turn he'd awkwardly said, "I guess, uh, the Golden Saucer, because I've never been. I like snowboarding and racing and stuff so we'd play a lot of the games." He even added a little extra oomph, saying, "We'd make bets on who gets the highest scores with _rewards_ and stuff."

It wasn't very eloquent, but Cloud got a wink from Sandy Li across the room and a thumbs-up from someone else. He tried not to flush, proud of himself.

Most of the meeting was spent taking suggestions for what to do for Angeal's birthday which wasn't for another seven freaking months. It was nice that the suggestions were tasteful and not outrageous. Apparently Red Leather had pooled their funds last year for a massive nude statue of Genesis to stand in a park somewhere in Junon.

"Angeal respects us a lot," Moss said, eyeing them all from the front of the room. "He trusts us to respect his boundaries and we in turn trust him to get involved with us on a level Sephiroth doesn't with the Silver Elite. If we held some sort of birthday event, concert or fundraiser Angeal expressed interest in showing up briefly to encourage more donations, which is fantastic."

Someone asked from the back, "What kind of charity would he like?"

"Dog shelters, perhaps?"

"Too obvious. A scholarship fund for a photography student?"

"Paid internships for _Famous Gardens Monthly_? They exploit their interns, you know."

Cloud listened to all the suggestions fly quietly from the back. It was hard getting a birthday gift for someone when you didn't know them well, not _actually_. He wondered what Sephiroth liked to get for his birthday.

After a long brainstorming session they were free to hang out and mingle again. Cloud greeted Moss with a nod of his head and a brief wave and spent the rest of the time sitting just outside a circle Benson and some boys were in. He occasionally said something but was mostly content to sit there and listen.

Right before everyone left for their last appointment of the day (Cloud's was a leadership class that he hated, since he was SOLDIER track and all) the circle of boys got closer and Cloud couldn't hear what they were talking about as they all huddled together.

A girl with a buzzcut smacked one of the guys on the shoulder and said, "Seriously? We're not invited this time?"

"We'll have a co-ed one for anybody interested next week or the week after," he answered. "It's risky enough as it is without sneaking girls into it."

"Yeah, alright," she answered, sighing. "Don't get caught."

"Course not," he replied with a grin.

Cloud was confused. As everyone filed out of the room Benson grabbed his elbow. "Hey," he whispered, ducking his head to speak into Cloud's ear. "I dunno if you'd be interested man, but there's gonna be a party in the locker room on the 53rd floor on Sunday at seven since that's the SOLDIER day off."

"Oh," Cloud said, nodding. "Alright, cool. I'll be there."

"Yeah?" Benson eyed him for a long moment. "Cool. See you then."

A party?

Cloud actually already knew about the 53rd floor. Being a little shyer than most Cloud had scoped out unattended places to shower. He wasn't self-conscious about his body, not really, but he just wasn't… used to these mass showers yet. It would take some time. So for the time being he showered at night on various floors he'd found where the bathrooms were always deserted.

The Tower was pretty empty on Sundays. All the SOLDIERs who weren't on missions or time-sensitive errands were in their apartments or out on the town. After boot camp in the afternoon Cloud grabbed a quick bite to eat and hustled up to the 53rd floor to shower.

The locker room was average sized. Near the door were rows of lockers—SOLDIERs had to provide their own locks, though First Classes were rumored to have their own designated lockers in the First Class locker room—and past that was the large area with showers. It was just a big empty squareish space with about a dozen showerheads.

Cloud much preferred showering by himself. As he worked shampoo into his hair he remembered the hilarious way his mom had said, _if you drop your soap in those communal showers I want you to politely ask someone else to pick it up for you_ and he laughed, his chuckles echoing off the tiles.

When he was done washing up he changed into casual clothes and left the locker room. He was a little early still, so Cloud walked to the lounge on this floor and plopped down into an armchair. He played a snowboarding game on his PHS for a while… a long time, in fact, too long. Nobody else was in the lounge.

Maybe there was a party happening somewhere else on this floor? At seven-twenty Cloud shrugged and got up. He wandered around a bit, poking his head into conference rooms and the like before he caught sight of an infantryman leaning casually against the wall by the locker room.

"Oh, hey," the boy said, "get in there quick. I'm keeping watch."

 _It's in the locker room?_ "Oh, uh, alright. Thanks," Cloud said, and the infantryman nodded.

Cloud slipped into the locker room, shouldering his gym bag. Three steps into the room he realized just exactly what Benson had meant by _party_.

He'd meant _orgy_.

There were at least fifteen naked or half-naked dudes in the shower area. There were some towels spread out to be easier on backs or knees or elbows, but other than that, i-it was just—

Cloud stood there for a long moment in the entranceway, thunderstruck.

At least half of the dudes were just standing there fisting their cocks and watching the other half on the floor. There were boys on their hands and knees getting pounded from behind, and someone riding someone else's dick. Cloud blinked rapidly as he tried to process all this. His feet drew him closer all on their own.

Cloud stood on the outside for a couple minutes. He just watched, dumbfounded. His mouth had gone dry and he was salivating at the same time. Each heartbeat threatened to shake him apart—his ears were so warm he could have set something on fire. This was life in the big fucking city.

Holy _shit._

Moss, the Captain and President of the Infantry subdivision, noticed him first. He was leaning back against the shower wall in boxers and his t-shirt still. Not everyone was warmed up to this… whatever this was yet. He lifted his chin and grinned as he saw Cloud. The expression on his face had to be funny; Cloud probably looked scandalized and like a dog in front of so much meat at the same time.

"Hey Strife," he called across the room, and a couple boys turned to look at him, all looking away except for Benson, one of Cloud's two 'friends' in ShinRa. Benson was naked and one of those pumping his cock as he watched the action. He smiled, and it only grew as he took in Cloud's face.

"You should join in," Benson said, coming a little closer nudging him with his elbow. He knew Cloud was shy as hell in this moment.

"I, I, ah," Cloud stuttered. He closed his eyes for a moment. He still heard the masculine grunts and moans echoing everywhere but he was able to calm himself for a moment. He opened his eyes and stared again at the mess of boys on the floor. "I've never, uh…"

Benson stared him right in the eyes, looking a little alarmed. "You're a virgin?"

Cloud nodded absently. Someone from Monday's meeting was fingering himself, looking back over his shoulder as another guy walked closer on his knees, lining up his cock.

The word _virgin_ penetrated whatever fog the guy next to them had around his head though and he looked over at Cloud. That word, _virgin,_ spread like wildfire in the locker room. Soon mostly everyone was looking at Cloud. Eyes closed in pleasure as their owner got fucked opened wide and fixed on him.

Cloud clutched at his bag's strap, looking at everyone and no one all at once.

Like in the meetings, Moss took charge. He walked around the—the well, the _orgy_ on the floor, and gently grabbed Cloud's shoulders. Cloud focused on his face. The guy had a kind face. Hazel eyes, a little scruffy, round cheeks. "You okay?" he asked.

Cloud nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine—I just, whew. I didn't know that's what kind of _party_ was going on up here."

"You can go if you want, just don't rat us out, please?"

Cloud hesitated, peeking around Moss at the showers. Mostly everyone had lost interest in him now, but Cloud was still getting the eye from a few guys, curious to see what he'd do.

"…Uh," Moss said, "Or are you interested in losing that virginity of yours, maybe?"

Cloud just replied, "Uhhh." It was embarrassing as fuck put like _that_ , but… Cloud couldn't deny that he was hard. He didn't know what he wanted.

Moss tilted his head, studied Cloud for a minute, and then slid his hand down Cloud's chest to cup his cock. Cloud's breath left him in a whoosh and he shuddered against his CO, eyes going wide.

"That okay?" Moss asked.

Beside them, Benson was watching intensely. "Y'know," he said, pushing all his dreads off his forehead for a moment like he was a little overwhelmed, "We could try to make it really good for you, man. If you wanted."

"Yeah," piped up the closest guy. Cloud recognized him from the cafeteria line earlier that day. "I mean, shit. That could be pretty hot."

Cloud didn't try to move Moss's hand; his hips moved so he could get that touch more firmly. "It wouldn't, ah, hurt, or anything?" Cloud asked nervously.

"Oh hell no. Sex isn't supposed to hurt. We could—hold on." Moss turned around and eyed the rest of the guys. "Yo!" he bellowed. When he had everyone's attention he said, "Cloud here is thinking of having his first time. Can I trust all of you to go _really, really_ easy on him?"

The enthusiastic encouragement had Cloud blushing further, but also grinning. Everyone in the Keepers just seemed like… _bros_. There was a reason he'd come back to the second meeting.

"Who's got the smallest dick?" Moss asked next.

What followed was a minute of typical shenanigans. Eventually it was decided that a boy named Chidike Nnanna came in first place in the smallest dick category. He was significantly taller than Cloud and skinnier too, and he grinned at Cloud from the floor where he was sitting on a cock.

During this time the guy to Cloud's left introduced himself as Mario Vincetti and asked, "Can I kiss you?"

Cloud nodded hastily and then there was a mouth on his. He'd kissed Tifa once, so he knew basically how to move his lips and tongue but this was a lot different from that. Vincetti cupped his face and grabbed at his waist and walked him backwards towards the showers even as his tongue plundered Cloud's mouth, leaving the shorter male gasping and flushed.

"Ease him into it man," came a voice from near Cloud's feet—Gaia, probably a dude getting fucked.

Vincetti eased up a bit, his tongue retreating. His tongue occasionally swiped out at Cloud's or brushed at his bottom lip and Cloud was so focused on that that he couldn't keep track of who was grabbing him now. Someone held his hips and someone else took off his shoes. Cloud broke away from the kiss as he was lowered down onto a towel on his ass. He could feel the grate of one of the shower drains beneath him.

His eyes closed as Vincetti bit at his neck— _oh,_ he liked that. A boy Cloud didn't know undid his fly, and Benson eased Cloud's hips up so the other infantryman could pull Cloud's jeans off his hips.

All of this was happening so quickly. Cloud didn't feel overwhelmed or scared though—only turned on, and kind of close to loud laughter if he was being honest.

Off came Cloud's shirt, and then he was panting and sprawled out on a towel in his underwear with a boner and with half a dozen guys devouring him with their eyes.

A boy on the other side of the room was in the middle of fucking another guy but he withdrew, gently patted the dude on the ass and then walked over to Cloud on his knees. He formally introduced himself as Radomír Lebedev, from Rocket Town but from Cosmo Canyon before that. Then he ducked his head and started mouthing at the length of Cloud's cock through his underwear.

Cloud's breath came in a stuttery gasp and he leant back on his hands. He watched Lebedev peel back the elastic on his briefs until his cock sprang free. Lebedev hooked it under his balls and licked a long stripe up the shaft.

"Oh my god," Cloud said.

"I don't fuckin' believe it," said Benson, standing over Cloud. He had a hand down the front of his boxers. "How the hell has he never had sex?"

"Beats me," gasped Sam Buck from the floor, "You're gorgeous, Strife." He was on his hands and knees getting fucked by Josué Ochoa, who was in turn getting fucked by Adrian Bones.

Four guys standing around and jerking off on the outside meant eleven in on the action. There were six actively having sex on the floor and five around Cloud, either sitting nearby like Vincetti or watching from above, like Moss and Benson.

Lebedev sucked wetly on the head of Cloud's cock. It felt so _good_. This wasn't like masturbating at all—mouths were a whole 'nother Blitzball game. Cloud eased back on his elbows, watching down the long, lean length of his body. Lebedev glanced up through his blond bangs at Cloud and Cloud shuddered.

His chest was blotchy with a blush already and he could swear he felt his heartbeat in his cheeks and neck with so much rapturous attention on him. It made him harder though. The fact that some of them were ignoring him entirely, totally caught up in fucking someone else—that was hot too. People around the outside just _watching_ and touching themselves… it was so goddamn filthy.

Three people grabbed Cloud's underwear and pulled them down all at once. It wasn't rough though; with Moss sternly watching they were being gentle, just _eager._ And it was so fucking hot. No one in Nibelheim wanted to mess around with Cloud Strife but here were all these dudes practically drooling at the opportunity to get him naked. Who wouldn't get a swelled head from that?

When his underwear was gone Cloud's legs were spread and his knees pushed back a bit. He stared up at his audience.

He was totally spread out like this, totally on display… and what he had to offer was being appreciated indeed.

"Fuck," Moss breathed, shaking his head. "I want to rim him."

Moss squeezed in beside Lebedev and winked at Cloud before lowering his head. His floppy hair tickled Cloud's balls but Cloud only registered the sensation for a moment because in the next his cheeks were being spread and then a greedy tongue was lapping at his asshole.

 _Thank Gaia I showered an hour ago,_ Cloud thought. Then he tilted his head back and covered his mouth with his hand because holy hell that was fantastic.

Kisses on the side of his throat had Cloud turning his head and burying his face in Benson's dreads. The texture was fun against his cheeks and nose and kept him grounded through the next couple seconds as Moss's tongue circled his hole and then pushed in.

Cloud gasped something that was muffled in his friend's hair. Benson nipped at his neck and someone else grabbed at his cock, squeezing gently and giving him a long pull from base to tip. Large hands held his hips still as Cloud squirmed, overloaded with sensations—and he didn't even know who that was, or if more people had crowded around.

The wet noises coming from Moss's tongue freaking _inside him_ made Cloud pinken even further, but they were nothing compared to the sounds of balls slapping against the curves of he didn't even know how many asses elsewhere in the showers. Someone was loud and said _fuck! fuck, fuuuck_ coinciding with those ball-slapping sounds and someone else was quieter, breathing deeply and giving only the occasional grunt.

It was all so masculine and ridiculously dirty. Cloud, for the life of him, could not choke back the soft laughter that escaped past the palm he held over his mouth.

"Ah, sorry," he gasped, still chuckling a bit. "I'm not laughing at you guys, I j-just— _ah_ —"

Moss appeared, licking his lips. "I get it," he said, grinning, and laughed too as he scooted a bit to the side. Nnanna, the guy with the smallest dick, was here now, and he stood tall over Cloud with a glint in his eye that made Cloud shudder. He and Moss gave each other casual high-fives in passing and Moss moved towards the group of guys who were actually fucking, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it against the shower wall.

Benson greedily grabbed Cloud's thighs and pulled him upward, spreading them further and taking his turn with Cloud's ass, his tongue easily slipping inside after what Moss had done there. Cloud groaned again.

He'd accepted that he was going to blush his way through the entirety of this and now that he wasn't so worried about what his blotchy ass self looked like from up above he could focus on more than his heartbeat thudding through every inch of his body. With his head back on the floor he could turn his head and see Bones riding Lund now, his hand flying on his dick. The guy easily had a hundred pounds on Cloud, all muscle.

That bouncing cock was hypnotizing but Nnanna said, "Can someone lube him up? And toss me a condom?" and then Cloud was watching anxiously as a box of condoms sailed across the room to hit Nnanna in the arm and he growled, "Hey!"

There were one or two used condoms tossed against the far wall already. Cloud had walked in twenty or so minutes into this thing, when it was only the more adventurous ones already fucking but now there were only a couple guys still watching on the outside who looked like they were content to stay that way.

"You still good, Strife?" Benson asked him.

Cloud nodded and smiled gratefully at the guy. "More than good," he answered with enthusiasm, loving the way it made all the other guys paying him attention grin and look relieved.

He and Vincetti both lubed up a couple fingers with one of the various bottles lying around and set to work opening him up for the cock he was about to take (and the ones he was going to take after that, presumably). Cloud was nervous for this part… his stomach tensed and his legs unconsciously closed a bit as Vincetti's blunt fingertip swirled around his asshole.

"Relax, man," Chidike Nnanna said. He crouched by Cloud's head and dug his fingers into Cloud's hair, scritching his scalp. Chidike himself was shaved bald and seemed quite interested in Cloud's silly spikes. "This part doesn't hurt, honest—but it can be uncomfortable if you're all tense."

"Kinda hard to not be tense when there's a million guys fuckin' two feet away," Cloud muttered, dipping into his country drawl a bit as he closed his eyes and tried to order his body to relax.

It seemed like the whole room heard him and laughed at that sentence. "A million guys," came Moss's voice, "That would be against the rules."

"The limit must be sixteen, not fifteen," Cloud quipped, his voice getting quieter as he felt a finger breach him. Nnanna was right… it didn't hurt. Cloud had fingered himself before, but always awkwardly while on the toilet or on his old rickety mattress back home that sometimes fell through the frame beneath.

"Right," answered Buck, who Cloud had never even talked to before. They seemed to get that Cloud needed to be distracted at this part. "That's why we have the sixteenth guy outside."

Cloud laughed again, and his chuckles turned into moans as the two guys between his legs each got a finger into him, moving them in opposite directions and twisting them together inside him. This was a _lot_ better than doing it himself. Soon Cloud was maneuvered to his hands and knees and he bent at the waist, putting his cheek to the cool tiles (which were still partially damp from his shower earlier, oops).

His hips jerked and Cloud's core contracted as a finger pressed firmly against something inside him that felt fantastic. "Shit," Cloud gasped, and he heard laughter behind him.

"Guess he likes that," Buck rumbled from nearby.

After another minute or so of fingering Cloud— "You're kind of loud, Strife," Benson said, "It's hot as fuck"— Vincetti and Benson skittered away and Nnanna settled between Cloud's ass, quite literally. As the head bumped against Cloud's perineum the blond twisted around to watch, clenching uncertainly.

Chidike Nnanna's dick was indeed pretty small. It was maybe an inch and a half and almost wider than it was long. Nnanna saw him looking and grinned a bright, gummy smile. He was cute. "A lot of guys are all obsessed with the biggest dicks possible but I gotta say taking a small one is the best. There's—"

"But you're a size queen," Moss interrupted with a laugh.

" _Ahem_. There's no pain. But I gotta _also_ say Strife—it's Strife, yeah?—You are a pretty lucky guy to lose your virginity to me."

"Oh brother," Cloud muttered, not knowing what to say to that. "Just get on with it already?"

Everyone laughed, even the dudes on the outskirts palming their cocks through their pants. As Nnanna rolled on a small condom Josué Ochoa crawled over to Cloud. He raked his fingers up from the nape of Cloud's neck and murmured, "You gotta relax."

Cloud closed his eyes and tried to. He tried not to picture what he looked like with his cheek on the floor and his ass in the air and his hands gripping the rumpled towels beneath him. A thumb ran over his lips and Cloud's tongue swiped out to taste it.

He felt his asshole stretch around Nnanna's girth and he whimpered deep in his throat. Ochoa's hand kept scratching, scratching, petting him, urging him to stay calm.

When he felt the press of Nnanna's balls against him Cloud wheezed, "Is that it?"

More laughter. Nnanna said, all smiles, "You've got it all, baby."

 _Baby._ Cloud liked that a little more than he probably should. And the dick itself, it was…

 _Bomb,_ Cloud thought, and a hysterical giggle nearly slipped out.

Nnanna couldn't pull out very far or he'd slip out, so he curled over Cloud's back ( _mmm_ ) and rolled his hips. They gyrated together, Nnanna with one hand braced on the ground and the other wrapped around Cloud like a hug. Cloud spread his knees to better take every millimeter.

"Oh, shit," someone muttered in the back of the room.

Cloud must have looked so _hot_ getting fucked on the floor like this, surrounded by boys doing the same thing except more outlandishly and with more confidence. Cloud experimented a bit, matching Nnanna's little hip rolls with different rhythms. He clenched his inner muscles a couple times and then stilled, his mouth falling open as Nnanna groaned in his ear and said in an almost comically high octave, "Oh—fuck."

The tall infantryman slipped out of him. His skin was the darkest brown Cloud had seen on a person, totally beautiful, and he was blushing a bit. "Got a little excited," he drawled.

"I want him next," Josué said before anyone else could. As he laid down beside Cloud on the floor Cloud stared at Nnanna as he removed the condom, now with semen in the reservoir tip.

That was that, then. His mom would be appalled.

Ochoa kissed the back of his neck as he settled in close. It was an intimate position… Cloud liked it already. As Nnanna had his turn with Cloud Ochoa had been jerking off furiously, and his fingers scrabbled at Cloud's ass. "This is a good position," he said into Cloud's ear. "Anal won't hurt at all this way."

"It's my favorite," moaned Adrian Bones, who was not in his favorite position but was on his back with his knees up and Buck thrusting into him.

A wide, blunt cockhead bumped at his hole. Cloud took it easily though, warmed up from Nnanna and eager as hell to get back to it. Ochoa was a lot bigger and he slid in slow, giving Cloud time to get used to it. "I'm gonna come quick," he warned, and he did. He'd been so close when he entered Cloud that it only took a minute of slow, deep thrusts until he was growling into Cloud's ear and shoving forward one last time. He stilled as he came inside Cloud and the blond trembled as he pulled out.

Vincetti fell to his knees before Cloud like a man dying of thirst before a river, or something equally as dramatic. Cloud wasn't feeling his most poetic in this moment. "Wait, Mario," came Moss's voice. "Are you—"

"I'm good," Cloud said, smiling at Tom. He was touched that the Keepers' Infantry President kept looking out for him. Moss flashed him a double thumbs-up from on top of a cock, which Cloud goofily returned even as Vincetti grabbed his thighs and pulled him down. They both held the friendly gesture for a minute, Cloud watching the way Moss bounced. He had two crescent-shaped surgical scars on his chest at the base of his pecs and no dick bouncing along with him between his legs.

Cloud focused again on Vincetti. The guy pumped his cock as he looked down at Cloud, at his fucked-open hole reddened and waiting to be penetrated again. Shakily Cloud reached down to fondle himself. The two of them made eye contact, just masturbating. Then Vincetti angled in and pushed forward.

"Ooogh," Cloud groaned. Dicks felt so _weird_ up the ass. Seriously—it was unlike anything Cloud had felt before. Unquestionably he loved this weird feeling. These thrusts were stronger than the gentle spooning from before, making Cloud slide back a couple inches over the course of the next couple minutes. Like last time it was over so _soon,_ though—the guy's face screwed up as he came.

"Next," he panted as he stood up. Cloud obligingly hooked his legs around Benson who replaced him.

Cloud learned it was prostate stimulation that was making him feel so good. It was zings of a full-body, bones-deep kind of pleasure different from the immediate pleasure of his ass stretched around something big or his hand on his dick.

The blond moaned freely now, letting his cries, sometimes quiet and sometimes loud, join everyone else's. Benson smacked his ass and Cloud yelped a bit, laughing as the shock wore off. Benson fucked him through his orgasm and said the same thing Vincetti had when he was done: "Next!"

Two more boys had their way with Cloud until the third when Cloud, his hands covering his face and every muscle contracting almost painfully as orgasm crashed over him, came all over his belly.

"Oh my god," Nnanna called from underneath Moss. "Did he just come without anybody touching him?"

Cloud couldn't answer at first, gasping and shuddering as the last dribbles of cum left him. As he sagged onto the tiles Benson held up both hands for a high-five. Cloud weakly slapped them.

"That's basically a super power," he said.

"Gah," was Cloud's only response. One of the guys on the far side of the room had come watching _him_ come and Cloud felt powerful as hell despite his exhaustion. Someone even applauded him from somewhere.

Nanuq Lund was still inside him, Cloud's _seventh_ cock in half an hour or less. Although Cloud was starting to feel a little sore the pleasurable feelings eclipsed that nearly entirely. He was a soft, panting mess of pale skin, golden hair and the occasional patches of freckles but Lund stayed inside him. Cloud's ass twitched with residual aftershocks and the older infantryman ducked his head as he grit his teeth. He had one of those hipster mohawks and Cloud dug his fingers into the perfectly-styled curls because he could.

"I'm not moving," Lund growled down at him, "Until you get it up again."

"There's no way."

Moss walked on his knees over to Cloud; there was a glob of lube on his inner thigh. "It's your first time," he said, "Of course you can."

Cloud was skeptical, but Moss took Cloud's spent cock in his hand and gently held it. First with just two fingers and later with more, he massaged Cloud's cock. There really was so much damn stimulation in the room too. Most of the other guys were just as done as him, but that meant there were more people watching. It could have been Moss's affections or it could have been all those hot gazes lasered in on his naked form but it really wasn't long at all before Cloud's cock started to swell with blood again.

Someone was muttering filthy encouragement into his ear, telling him how sexy he was, and how delicious it had been having half the room coming inside his ass, and that he couldn't believe Cloud was as good at taking cock as he was, and all sorts of shit that had Cloud squeezing his eyes shut even harder.

When he was hard and swollen in Moss's hand Lund finally moved again. Cloud let out a strangled moan. It had been _torture_ feeling that erection inside him without it moving. He clenched hard around it and Lund muttered a curse under his breath. Someone rolled a condom onto Cloud's dick, Moss brushed Cloud's sweaty bangs out of his eyes, and he swung a leg over Cloud's waist. He hovered over Cloud's cock, steadying it with a hand and running the sensitive head over the folds of his genitals.

"I don't do anal," he said, giving him a crooked smile. "Feels like I'm shitting back and forth inside my own ass. Is this alright?"

" _Fuck yeah it's alright,_ " Cloud gasped. Lund continued to fuck his ass but he slowed enough so that Moss could climb aboard. Someone encouraged _Get him Tom,_ and someone else said _Strife's in for it._ His smile grew wider as he sank down onto Cloud's cock—that was a first of Cloud's too that he'd claimed.

The dual sensations were out of this world. Lund's cock pressed against Cloud's prostate which Cloud was quickly learning that he fucking _loved_. The guy wasn't as big as some of the others but he was wide and Cloud was pretty sure he liked the stretch of girth rather than something long poking too far inside him. It was amazing how much experience he'd gotten all at once, really.

Cloud hadn't just lost his virginity—he'd blown it the fuck up with a meteor and vaporized its ashes.

But other than Lund inside him _he_ was inside _Moss_ and that was totally new and totally wonderful. When Cloud masturbated he could do exactly what he wanted where he needed it most and this lacked the precision but it was _all good, everywhere_ and there was a dude riding his cock while another one pounded into him and like a million guys were watching them and

Cloud's brain was exaggerating but the sentiment was really there—this was just _so damn hot,_ the stuff of fantasies, really; Cloud Strife had no business being in the middle of all this but here he was anyway and

"Whatever you're thinking so hard about, stop it," Moss gasped. He rubbed his clit fast with the middle finger of his right hand and tilted his head back as he came. Cloud felt it. He sobbed out something incomprehensible as orgasm washed over him, this one intense in a whole different way from the anal one from before.

"Gods," Cloud could only gasp as the aftershocks ripped through him. Who knew what the Nibel gods thought about him now.

Regardless of whether he was in their favor or not he still was being cared for. Lund drew out of Cloud's twitching ass with care, and Moss climbed off his soft cock, even removing the condom for him. Cloud laid there on the floor, an utter mess—with his own dried semen on him from before and the sweat and saliva of half a dozen guys on him. His thighs trembled violently as Lund lowered them to the floor.

Someone on the far side of the room started clapping for him. A handful of guys joined in and Cloud laughed with the last of his energy, raising the middle finger in their direction.

The convenient thing about having an orgy in the showers was that there were, well, showers nearby. Adrian Bones helped Cloud to his feet and picked Cloud up around the waist and walked him to the corner shower. The dude was ripped. He put a friendly arm around Cloud's shoulders and kept him close.

The dude reeked of sex, and Cloud was pretty sure he did too.

The water felt good and Cloud relaxed against the Keeper's chest, letting him quickly wash him down with some soap someone tossed them. The dude even swiped his soapy fingers between Cloud's asscheeks which damn, he could appreciate. "Thanks," Cloud muttered.

"No problem, Strife. The Keepers always—" the bigger infantryman chuckled slightly, "—protect our honor and take care of those we gangbang."

"Wooow," Cloud drawled into his shoulder.

Everyone dressed quickly, remembering they were in public and that they had a lookout stationed outside the door. Cloud grabbed his gym bag and made his way out, enduring noogies and playful shoves.

"Yeah, yeah," Cloud muttered, cracking a grin himself.

The boys scattered once they were out in the hallway. A huge mass of infantrymen getting in the elevator together on this floor they didn't really have any business on a Sunday would have raised a few eyebrows. Cloud and a couple others headed for the elevator while others went north and a couple took the southern set of stairs. It had been decided that Cloud didn't deserve all those stairs.

"Are you alright?" a Keeper asked Cloud. He'd been one of the ones watching from afar and Cloud didn't know his name.

"Yeah, thanks."

"You're hot as hell," the guy said, a bit shyly as he got off on his floor.

Cloud couldn't resist puffing his chest out a little at that one.

He scarfed down a protein bar and fell asleep on his bunk, choosing to skip his usual extra materia training session. He slept like the dead until one of his bunkmates woke him up several hours later.

"Nnnnyeah?"

The guy didn't even know his name, and he shrugged and pointed at the door. Tom Moss had his head poking inside.

Cloud swiped at his crusty eyes with the back of his wrist and staggered out of bed. He grit his teeth past the rush of soreness from down below and tried to smile at the guy, even though he was still half-asleep and only wearing boxers.

"I brought you something," Moss said.

Cloud held out his hand and the Captain handed him a hi-potion. "I'd take it now before the soreness gets worse," Moss said. He leaned in a bit so any nosy bunkmates couldn't hear them. "Some of them were a little rougher on you than I would have liked. You're okay though?"

Once Cloud had chugged half of the nasty tasting thing he licked his lips and answered, "Yeah, I'm fine. I kinda thought—I don't know. My hometown puts a lot of stock in, well, y'know. But I don't feel very different at all. Just sore."

Moss laughed. "You're still the same guy. Just, uh…" he counted on his fingers, "I don't even know how many dicks richer. It was fun; I'm glad you showed up to this one."

"Me too," Cloud answered. "And I can't believe I'm saying that. Thanks for looking out for me during that whole thing."

"'Course." Moss punched Cloud gently on the shoulder. "Drink the rest of that. You're comin' to our meeting tomorrow, yeah?"

"…Yeah. Of course."

"Cool. Welcome to the Keepers, dude."

Cloud nodded and raised the potion bottle to his lips again. Moss gave him a kind smile and left.

* * *

 _This is part 1/9 of my Cloud's Birthday Week 2k16 challenge! Thank you for reading, and thanks for the kind words in reviews! :)_


	2. Chapter 2

_Dear Mom,_

 _You know, wouldn't have believed it if you hadn't told me. I always thought Mrs. Gerst and Mr. Heinrich were really friendly, but I wouldn't have guessed they were having an affair… I bet everyone back home is talking about it, huh. Gossip spreads pretty quickly here at ShinRa too… I heard that Sephiroth has a pet. I don't think it's true though, because they're saying it's a pet Behemoth, a baby one. It would be about as tall as you and me. If anyone_ was _going to take care of a Behemoth though, I bet it would be Sephiroth!_

 _Yeah, everyone in the Keepers seems nice. Really nice actually. I think I'm making some friends. No, we didn't do anything like what you said at the first three meetings. It seems more like a club for people who all feel the same way about waiting for marriage and stuff to hang out._

 _My training is going well too. I've already put on a couple pounds of muscle since I got here... it's hard work though. Every time I go to the cafeteria I have to stuff myself with complex carbs and their ShinRa brand protein shakes and stuff. It's tough!_

 _Send me a picture in your next letter? I'm getting kind of homesick._

 _Love, Cloud_

Cloud dropped his letter in the outgoing mail slot in the mail room. It was a constantly packed room on the second floor. Here Cloud ran into all kinds of SOLDIERs and not just Infantry troops like he normally did. There was a lot of animosity between the Infantry-stuck troops and SOLDIER, though. Those in the Infantry that wanted to make it into SOLDIER, like Cloud, were torn between the two.

"'Scuse me," someone said, and Cloud scooted over with a small apology. A tall dark-haired Second Class (wow) squeezed past and to the mail counter, ducking his head and greeting the employee there by name. "Has my fanclub sent any gifts yet!?" the SOLDIER asked.

"Yeah, and it's got one member—your mother." Both of them laughed.

Cloud smiled to himself and headed upstairs, up a long twenty flights to the Keepers meeting room. He still didn't know everybody, but when he walked in he got a few waves and a couple _Hey Strifes_.

"Cloud," called Helena, ushering him over to the corner with a wave. She and a couple others were clustered in a small circle.

"Hey, Strife, how ya doin'," Nanuq Lund asked, smacking him on the back.

It wasn't in a cruel way, but Cloud's involvement in that orgy from two weeks ago was pretty common knowledge among the Keepers. Everyone knew these things happened, and Cloud was starting to understand that the Keepers of Honor was practically a swingers club with how much they all hooked up with one another. So him participating wasn't really the interesting thing, but that he'd lost his virginity in the orgy was _pretty legendary_ according to a guy at the last meeting who'd passed him a congratulatory small bottle of liquor to store under his bunk.

It turned out the small crowd was talking about SOLDIER semen. Cloud was actively encouraged to join in on the discussion.

"I heard it glows."

"I've seen it in person. It didn't glow."

"Maybe he was a Third Class and didn't have a lot of Mako in him? Because I fucked a Second Class and it definitely glowed."

A girl in braids said, "Well, I ate a Second Class out last night and her pussy was like, glow in the dark once she was wet. Made it easy to find." She waggled her tongue.

"That's so _cool_ ," Cloud marveled.

"Cool? It's weird."

"It's hot."

Cloud rolled his eyes at the guy who'd disagreed with him. "It's _so_ cool, even if it is a little weird. Only a handful of people on the planet can say their sexual fluids glow."

"Why is it," Benson asked, sighing dramatically, "That everything out of your mouth is the most horrible thing ever?"

"Hey," Cloud protested, but then the meeting started.

Apparently Red Leather and the Silver Elite were feuding. _What else is new_ griped someone from the back.

"Like always," said Tom Moss, "We are going to stay out of it, not rile them up further or let their hate spill over onto us, and when they're both embarrassed two weeks from now we look like the good guys."

When someone asked what exactly it was they were feuding about, Moss shrugged kind of helplessly. Li, the Treasurer, crossed her arms and announced, " _Apparently_ an 'inside source' confirmed that Sephiroth and Genesis are dating, which—" she held up a hand as chatter filled the back of the room, "—is one: probably bullshit and two: makes their fighting even _more_ ridiculous. Those two are going to end up hating their fanclubs if they're so awful about their relationship if it turns out to be real."

From what Cloud had heard about Genesis Rhapsodos he thought the guy would be amused. As for Sephiroth… he didn't know. He kept meaning to get down to a meeting of the Silver Elite's but it felt strangely… wrong to do so, even if he wasn't really a hardcore Angeal fan. Plus the more he heard about the Silver Elite the more terrifying they became.

He'd think about it.

A lot of today's meeting was spent shitting on the other fanclubs, including the Study Group who apparently ran really fast. The Keepers got along best with Red Leather. Angeal and Genesis were extremely close, Cloud learned, and grew up together in Banora. The fanclubs, then, were best friends too (or at least tolerated each other and avoided the outright hostility between them and the Silver Elite). The Study Group thought they were too good for everybody apparently… turning their noses up at others who were more interested in the SOLDIERs' bodies or fighting abilities over _literature._

When the fanclub exhausted their saltiness for the evening and everyone started drifting out of the space, Cloud stood and stretched. He raised a hand to wish Moss goodbye from across the room. He was just out the doorway when someone called, "Cloud!"

Helena Wilde waved him back inside. "We're all getting dinner together—want to come?"

Did he ever.

Cloud sat with his tray at a table composed entirely of Keepers. They ate their overcooked cafeteria pasta and chugged their protein shakes. Sometimes conversation drifted to Angeal but it didn't always. They talked about classes and in a couple cases what it was like being a commanding officer in the Infantry. Everyone seemed like… friends, even with rank differences.

Cloud wondered if the Silver Elite as like that, or if hierarchies were important to them. Any one of these tables could be that club sitting together like a clique as the Keepers were. Cloud had never been part of a clique before, unless 'angry Nibelheim outcasts' had been one.

As Cloud's social situations improved so too did just about everything else at ShinRa. The elevators stopped making him as nauseous as he got used to them. He no longer got lost on his way to his leadership classes in the basement levels. He could cast a fire spell even if he couldn't yet do anything else; fire seemed to be his naturally-inclined element (and he was laid up in bed when an Esuna backfired and actually made him sick. He didn't know how he'd done that). He was upgraded to the morning drills and wilderness courses for those in their second year with ShinRa because his stamina and endurance was so high coming in. Being a country boy was paying off.

He had real patrols where he helped real people. He got into a fight with a guy who didn't like ShinRa. He got his nose broken but successfully detained the other guy and had him picked up for overnight holding. They'd cured him in the back of a transport van and Cloud rode home in his bloodstained uniform buzzing with a strange energy.

One of the Keepers who hadn't been at the orgy, a teen named Karan Reece, heard him talking about Masamune vs the Buster Sword with some of the others and now they privately practiced swordfighting together on Tuesdays. Cloud wouldn't learn any of it in classes until he had been in the Infantry for much longer and it looked like he was going to make SOLDIER for sure.

They fucked too, which was nice. They fucked a lot, in Cloud's bed but mostly Karan's bed. They had their own closet-shaped space because ShinRa hadn't been sure where to put a nonbinary trooper. Sleeping with one person compared to fourteen was… different. Nice, though.

Cloud slept with other Keepers too—quick little flings before or after meetings. He stopped being so overwhelmed and confused by it all. His hesitant curiosity turned into confidence.

The letters to his mother flowed steady. She missed him and he missed her, but it got easier as time went on. When he got selected for his first actual mission he excitedly wrote her about it. He couldn't give details in case his mail got intercepted but he hoped she'd be as happy for him as he was for himself. _I'll write my next letter as soon as I get back,_ he promised.

His mission wasn't very amazing or anything, but Cloud put his whole self into it. In the first part the Turks needed an escort for what was called a _pickup_. They had scouted a powerful fighter in Mideel making waves in a fighting club and wanted to recruit him for SOLDIER.

Cloud supposed that made sense. There were lots of people like Cloud who were trying desperately to get into the program, but if someone out there was already strong enough…

The Turks were kind of terrifying. They wore suits and were all business except for the redhead piloting the plane. When it was time to retrieve _the target,_ though, even he was expressionless and serious.

The target didn't want to join SOLDIER. He yelled in their faces that he couldn't care less about that shitty fuckin' company.

The Turk with the short ponytail disabled him with a quick, tight grip behind the head. They gave Cloud the order to knock him out—Cloud whacked the guy with his ShinRa issued baton with all his might. When he was down Cloud had to retrieve his personal effects and haul the guy to the back of a transport.

They were kidnapping the guy, Cloud realized. He still had his orders.

After that he was on guard duty outside ponytail guy's hotel room for a night. He stood at attention the whole time, his fingers nervously fiddling with the butt of his rifle. It would be useless at such short range if anyone came in down the hallway. The fire materia he'd checked out would help… but Cloud's flames were pretty weak.

Regardless, and thankfully, nobody came to assassinate Mr. Ponytail Turk. Cloud showered in the morning and piled back in the chopper.

He slept the entire six hours back to Midgar. (A few times he'd flopped over and rested his head against Mr. Ponytail Turk's shoulder, only to be gently propped against the opposite window each time. Cloud would be glad that he didn't know about this.)

After disembarking he fistbumped the redhead through the cockpit window when requested. When Mr. Ponytail Turk gave him a short nod (and a curiously fond little smile) Cloud headed inside. Already he was thinking about what to write in his mission report. He wanted to do his first one well.

Heading to the elevator, Cloud turned on his PHS. He stopped short as it started blowing up with texts, all from Helena Wilde.

 _CLOUD,_ read one, _HURRY THE HECK UP AND GET BACK HERE ALREADY_

There was a long string of _where are you where are yous_ and a _goddamn it you're missing out._

There was one from Karan: _B-9 level all-gender Keepers party if you're interested. Bathroom on East side!_

Cloud didn't report to his CO and he definitely didn't go write his mom. He didn't even drop his stuff off. He went straight for B-9.

The elevator ride took a long-ass time and Cloud furiously texted Wilde: _is it still happening?_

 _Yeah, started maybe an hour ago_

 _How many people?_

 _Maybe twelve_

Cloud whistled. _Damn. You okay and everything?_

 _Yes :P see you soon_

The 'event' was clearly well underway when Cloud arrived. It was probably more than half over. And… indeed, it was in a bathroom. Cloud could see why. There was a hole in the divider of the handicapped stall, which was the only stall in the whole large space. The hole had duct tape in it. Josué Ochoa had his dick in it.

A group of people clustered around a few figures on the floor in the main area of the bathroom. As Cloud dropped his pack someone shifted and he got a good look at Sandy Li in there, naked. She had a cock in her pussy and another in her ass and she rode both of them, straddling a guy and growling something sexy at him.

…Holy fuck.

That had been _him_?

He stood there for a minute, slackjawed. He forgot about undoing the straps of his belt and just watched. They all pawed at Li, desperate for her, bumping their dicks against her cheeks and face. Guys stood around in the back jerking off much like they had with him. Some of them were the same and some were new.

Some of the gay guys must have skipped this one, Cloud thought, figuring any repeat customers were probably bisexual, pansexual or the like, like him.

Cloud spaced out then, watching Sandy Li get a dick in each hand and jerk two guys off. She was grinning—she so clearly loved it. Were there any straight guys in the Keepers? There probably were… surely they could be fans of Angeal's without wanting to have sex with the guy, but all the Keepers meetings took on such undeniably sexual tones…

A guy came on Li's face and she laughed brightly, looking up through mascara-d eyelashes as she ran a finger through the cum on her cheek and licked it off.

Cloud hadn't had her level of enthusiasm, nor had he jerked anybody off using quite that amount of elbow grease… but that had been him. The center of all that attention, the one everyone had to be inside. Shit, that was hot.

"Cloud," called Helena Wilde's voice. The blond snapped out of it. Wilde came over to him grinning. "You made it."

"Yeah." Cloud peered around the big bathroom. "Any later and I would have missed everything."

"Come on, take that crap off," she urged. Cloud started unstrapping his belts and to his surprise Wilde helped him. She tugged off his belt and pushed his pauldrons to the floor. They stripped Cloud until he was in his t-shirt and tented boxer-briefs, stuffed his bag in the corner next to Wilde's, and went over to the gloryhole. Wilde's lips were wet and swollen and her short blonde hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, not unlike that Turk's he'd guarded.

Like most bathroom stalls the plastic divider didn't go all the way down to the floor. Cloud could see knees and feet and legs as people crouched down to suck the dick of the minute. One girl sitting back on her feet rubbed her clit; Cloud could see everything under there.

Wilde grabbed his hand and tried to pull him to the 'receiving' side, but Cloud resisted a moment longer, wanting to observe some more. Wilde went to the right behind the divider.

"There's not even a door on the stall," Cloud said. The stall was big—like a third of the room. It was just a plastic wall in the middle of the space, though. Cloud poked his head around it—there wasn't even a toilet (though there was a guy fucking a girl against the wall where the toilet normally would be). Wilde was on her knees waiting her turn to suck the uncut dick currently through the gloryhole. She winked at him. Cloud moved half a foot to the left, now staring at the small group of horny dudes eager for their turn. "It's not like it's a secret who's—"

"There goes Strife," someone called from the orgy on the floor. "Always ruining everything with his awkward observations."

"Shut the…" Cloud started to protest, but at least six people were laughing at him now. It wasn't in a mean way though—even Cloud found himself laughing. Karan Reece gave him a small push on the back and Cloud obligingly trotted into the space beyond the divider. It was black and smudged from all kinds of fingers.

Perhaps different groups in the building reserved the Gloryhole Bathroom at different times. There had to be some calendar somewhere where people said, 'No, I can't suck you off in a dank basement bathroom this evening, the Keepers of Honor have it booked.'

Wilde and a boy Cloud didn't know tugged him to the floor. The tiles were cold on the skin of his knees. Who even knew how many others had knelt here.

Precious Price, the Infantry Keepers Secretary, glanced at him with her cheek bulging from a mouthful of cockhead. She had a lavender lipstick that was smeared all over her mouth. It was hot. Cloud watched as she worked the shaft with her hand until the guy came. It was everywhere, half in her mouth and half on her face, adding to the sticky, spitty mess. Price moaned to herself, then shifted out of the way after the softening dick retreated. "All yours, Strife," she said.

Cloud and Wilde crawled close together. The two blondes stared at each other as they waited.

A dick came through the gloryhole. Cloud grinned—he knew that one.

Wilde opened her mouth and kissed it. Helena had a wide smile (she was self-conscious about it actually) and a face full of freckles. Cloud hadn't thought of her in a sexual fashion before—it was kind of strange having both of them here in their underwear about to go to town on a cock together. Cloud reached under the divider and grabbed the shin of the person currently on the other side. As he tickled Karan's ankle he bumped his nose against their dick.

Wilde grinned at him around her mouthful, and Cloud returned it before licking the shaft. The two of them quickly found a way to make this work, trading places and getting used to the other's presence as they licked and kissed and sucked. Occasionally their lips would stray off Karan altogether and they'd kiss. Cloud tangled his fingers in her hair and slid his tongue in her mouth as he jerked Karan off with his other hand.

At some point Wilde ended up straddling one of Cloud's thighs, the blond being back on his feet with his shins down on the tile. She rolled her hips unconsciously, grinding on Cloud's leg.

With Cloud and Helena both working them over it wasn't long before Karan came. Wilde caught most of the semen on her tongue and Cloud got the rest. Then they were kissing some more, tongues moving through the slick bitterness of it.

Cloud squeezed Reece's ankle one last time before they moved away. He and Wilde did too so another girl-boy duo could replace them. A warm wrapped around Cloud's torso and tugged him backwards; Cloud stumbled on his knees and leaned against Chidike Nnanna.

"Hey," he greeted, smiling wildly.

"Oh. Hey." Cloud was distracted though—a moment ago he'd had a girl rubbing herself against him and moaning into his mouth. Chidike let him go and Cloud's dick led him to Wilde, kneeling a few feet away. She had a hand down the front of her panties and looked away from the gloryhole to lock gazes with Cloud.

Cloud reached for her and she came to him. Nnanna ruined any sexy moment though by saying to Wilde, "You and Strife are close, huh? Well, lemme tell you— _I_ had the great and esteemed pleasure of being the first one he's ever fucked."

"Oh yeah?" Wilde laughed at Cloud's embarrassed expression.

"Oh yeah. I remember it like it was last month, which it was. Cloud walked in on us, all shy, but soon he's on his back with half a dozen guys all around and—"

Cloud growled, "Alright." When Nnanna spoke over him Cloud crawled onto his lap and kissed the guy.

That was more effective.

Cloud ignored the small, blunt erection against his ass and twisted around to eye the gloryhole. He'd had an idea. "Is it possible to, y'know—is it the right height?"

Chidike tilted his head but Wilde knew what he was talking about.

"Should be possible," she said. "You wanna try?"

"I dunno," Cloud answered, but now Chidike had caught on. He slid Cloud off his lap and announced he was going to get lube and a condom.

"He's funny," she said.

"Funny _lookin,_ " Cloud drawled, all Nibelheim.

A minute later Cloud was on his back with his legs up and his underwear hanging off one ankle. Wilde's enthusiasm for blowjobs extended past just those through a bathroom stall. She quickly had taken Cloud's cock all the way to the base.

The blond squirmed beneath her and Nnanna who was eased fingers into him. There were a couple others crammed in here still, half paying attention to them and half not. Someone else came, smearing Price's makeup even more to her great delight.

"Can we have it next?" Nnanna asked.

The rest of the group was eager to comply. Nnanna fucked Cloud savagely on his fingers for a minute longer until Cloud was loose but clenching and moaning into Wilde's mouth. Nnanna disappeared behind the divider (and after spending all this time back _here_ it was like another world out _there,_ mused Cloud). He returned with good news. "He's cool with stickin' it in a guy's butt," he said. On cue a dick appeared through the gloryhole. It was big. Veined. Thick.

Wilde was on it before Cloud could be, licking and sucking for a minute. She came off with a wink and a last lick. Chidike rolled the condom on—Cloud heard a puff of nervous laughter from the other side, which he returned—and as he stood he told Nnanna, "Don't tell me who it is. I don't want to know."

That was the hotness of it—it was just a cock, a cock floating in a smudged black plastic void.

They walked Cloud backwards into it. Nnanna bent Cloud over and positioned him, and Wilde grabbed the dick and held it still. It took some shifting and some quiet chuckles onto Nnanna's shaved head but then Cloud shifted his hips back and made the cock breach him.

"…Oh," Cloud sighed.

Nnanna asked, kissing his neck, "Good?"

"Mm." Cloud savored the stretch for a moment, then moved around a bit. There was a lot of lube both in him and slathered on the condom… it was slick.

The position was hard. Neither he or the mysterious guy fucking him (mm, damn but this was so hot though) could move too much or he'd slip out. His legs strained and trembled both from holding the position and those first few delicious thrusts inside.

Cloud moved a little, and the guy moved a little, and they found a way to make it work. With his hands braced on his knees Cloud groaned, deep and masculine.

From under the stall came the quiet words "Oh, shit, you're tight" and Cloud groaned again. The blunt head sent pleasurable zings down his spine.

Cloud fucked himself back on it. He pushed himself up on his toes and tried to slide himself back down rapidly, almost twerking on it, but he popped off with a groan of frustration.

"Get back on it," Price said looking at Cloud with a gaze that devoured him. His cock throbbed at the demanding tone. Cloud reached back to hold it still.

Wilde came to help out. She leant against him and let Cloud brace himself on her shoulders. Wilde was probably forty to fifty pounds heavier than him; he wouldn't go anywhere.

"Thanks," Cloud panted. That broke off into a moan as the guy on the other side of the divider started fucking his hips forward in earnest.

Cloud clung to Wilde as he was pounded. She eventually moved so she could grab at Cloud's waist and quite literally push him back onto it again and again. Karan Reece came around the divider. They watched Cloud in the back with Nnanna for a minute (and _oh_ , both of their eyes burned his skin) before they stepped around Price and the other couple watching with interest. Reece sank to their knees before Cloud and took his cock in their mouth, looking up through their lashes.

Reece's hands came up a second later to brace Cloud's hips; his legs were shaking so bad they'd thought he'd collapse. Wilde now had her knees pushing against Reece's back and sucked a bruise onto Cloud's neck as Cloud leaned against her.

This was a million different kinds of stimulation: that cock inside him, stretching him so nicely, Karan's throat swallowing around him, Wilde firm against him and shoving him backwards to take the dick poking through the stall divider, and a few people watching.

The most exciting one disappeared abruptly. A drawn-out _aahhhh…_ came from under the divider and then the cock slipped out of Cloud, and retreated.

"That was so hot," someone said, but Cloud barely paid attention. He staggered away from the door, around Karan, and pulled Wilde to the floor (or maybe she pulled him; he didn't know and it hardly mattered).

"Condom?" Cloud asked, looking around. Nnanna tossed him one from the box on the floor and Cloud rolled it on. Wilde lifted her legs and spread her knees for him. Her panties were damp and Cloud hastily hooked a finger around them and pulled them aside, exposing her.

She'd been fingering herself a couple minutes previous. "I'm good, I'm good," she muttered, her ankles squeezing Cloud's back. So Cloud lined himself up, took a couple seconds to run the head of his cock through her folds and rub it against her clit, making her gasp, then entered her. The angle of entry was a bit new to him but he quickly adapted to it. Wilde cradled him with her legs and dug her heels into his back hard.

Cloud planted his hands on the grimy tiles on either side of her head, curled his back, and went at it. His balls slapped against her ass and the sounds they made sounded loud in the small, cramped space behind the divider. Nnanna was on his knees servicing a new cock through the gloryhole now and the other couple had left, leaving just Price and Reece in there to watch.

Wilde reached down and rubbed her clit fast with her fingertips. Her eyes were closed and her ponytail askew; she bit her bottom lip with crooked teeth that were whiter than Cloud had ever seen on a real human. She put her forearm over her eyes and said Cloud's name, quieter at first and then louder.

This kind of orgasm felt different around Cloud's cock but it was just as good as the other kind. Cloud kept fucking her through it and as his own built. He came hard, bowing his head and going still.

Heavy breathing. Then Cloud pulled out, every inch of him shaking. He took off the condom, stood, and hauled Wilde to her feet too. She looked happy—the back of her t-shirt was a little gross looking from sliding around on that filthy floor but she didn't seem to mind. Cloud located his underwear (or rather, Chidike chucked them at him) and he stumbled back out to the rest of the bathroom.

Mostly everyone else was gone. Sandy Li was still there but only with two guys now. She was covered in semen to a degree she hadn't been before. Cloud's dick twitched but there was no way he could join in on that anytime soon.

"I'm so starving," he muttered as he climbed back into his uniform.

Reece said, "Yeah, you probably didn't eat on the plane. I am too actually—wanna order something and eat it at my place?"

That sounded like as good an idea as any. "Sure," Cloud answered. "See you in rifles and ammunition Helena."

"You got it." Wilde saluted him, formally shook Karan's hand, and slipped out the door.

"I think seeing you take that up the ass was the hottest thing I've seen in… at least like three weeks," Karan said as they walked to the elevator.

"Just wait 'till tonight," Cloud said, but laughed tiredly right after he said it. He didn't think he'd be topping that one for a while.

* * *

 _Dear Mom,_

 _I'm starting to really like my patrols. Sometimes they're really boring, like when I get stuck in this one part of Sector 8 that never sees anything interesting. Sometimes they're more exciting. Sometimes they're a little TOO exciting if you know what I mean, haha. But I like interacting with people. I like knowing I'm keeping them safe and helping them out. I didn't realize it coming in, but the Infantry and security forces have a really, really important job. I'm proud to be part of it._

 _Keepers meetings are going well. We all talked about temptations we have and stuff. I didn't have any, of course. And don't you dare respond with anything awkward in response to that, ok? There's this big ShinRa festival and parade this weekend and I signed up to table at it. Hopefully we'll get more people to join the club that haven't heard of it._

 _My friend Helena makes these small charms during her off-duty time out of molding wax and stuff, as a hobby. I told her a bit about you and she made this little thing. I hope it doesn't melt or break in the mail._

 _Have a good week. I love you._

 _Cloud_

* * *

Cloud was double-fisting cotton candy. He was not able to choose between pink and blue and so he had one in each hand. His lips were colorful and sticky and he kept his treats safe as he navigated through the crowded streets of Sector 8. He was glad he wasn't assigned to a patrol this day. His comrades must be having a time of it controlling the drunks and those who were just super excited about the parade and breaking rules.

Just off the parade route, the section of town around the large fountain was set up with various booths. Most of these were ShinRa-owned operations and businesses but there were a couple people from below the plate who'd had enough money to reserve a table. The Keepers table, along with the Silver Elite's, were tucked around the outside of the large courtyard. People mingled and checked them out as they ate hot dogs and funnel cake and shiva sausages.

Cloud arrived early and spent some time checking everything out before his assigned shift at three in the afternoon. The parade started at 3:30, and Cloud was sad that he wasn't going to be able to see Sephiroth in person… but he was sure that he'd end up having fun anyway.

Cloud bit off a chunk of the pink one and as it dissolved in his mouth he checked out more of the other booths. ShinRa volleyball club. Sword aficionados. Bone Village emigrants and support group. Biker gang!

Cloud wanted to check out the motorcycle they had beside their table so damn badly… but he was due to start in three minutes. He located the Keepers table.

He replaced his friend Jack Benson who worked the shift before his. They grabbed hands and bumped shoulders before Cloud took his seat. "Have fun," he called, "and do you want one of these?"

Benson disappeared with the pink cotton candy and Cloud turned to his fellow Keepers. With him until five was President Tom Moss and Latisha Duval, a woman so close to making SOLDIER you could smell it on her.

"Hey dude," Moss said, "Check out what we've got."

The Keepers had lots of giveaways. There were bookmarks with Angeal posing with the Buster Sword, probably taken from a magazine spread. They had links to the Keepers website and some upcoming events around ShinRa. They had water bottles with PROTECT HIS HONOR printed on them. There were beads in Angeal's favorite color, blue, and information about the forest the Keepers planted outside Junon. There were even t-shirts that said 'I'm a Hewley guy' or 'I'm a Hewley girl' but those had to be bought. Additionally, there were clipboards to write down information for mailing lists.

Despite everything that the Keepers had, and their eye-catching tablecloth and handmade replica of the Buster Sword to attract attention, the Silver Elite booth next door had outdone them.

They had a TV display that cycled through various images of Sephiroth. There was a life-sized Sephiroth cutout that people could pose next to and get pictures of. (Cloud's stomach flipped when he saw it—his mom would _love_ it if he sent her one of those…) There was a freakin' _line_ to use it.

They had streamers and baubles and overflowing boxes filled with giveaways including free samples of the shampoo it was rumored Sephiroth used. Moss shrugged awkwardly at Cloud when they made eye contact, Cloud's eyes wide.

"Nice to meet you guys," Cloud said politely. There were three people at the Silver Elite table, like theirs. There was a teenager, someone probably in their early twenties, and a middle aged woman with a clipboard currently interviewing someone a couple feet away from the table.

The teenager smiled kindly at him. "Hey," he said.

"I'm Cloud." Cloud got out of his seat and walked over to shake his hand like his momma had taught him.

"Avery." Avery had a backwards hat with blondish hair poking out the front, and glasses. He chewed so much bubblegum Cloud could smell it. The woman next to him was Olivia McLachlan and a Lieutenant in the Infantry, _wow_. Cloud saluted once he heard that, and she had him hold it for about a full minute before she said he could relax.

"Looks like the cut-out is pretty popular," Cloud said.

"Well of course," McLachlan answered.

Cloud sat back in his seat feeling awkward.

Latisha ducked and said into his ear, "They're assholes. I know this and I've been here five minutes longer than you have." She wore bright yellow eyeshadow that looked so good on her dark brown skin, and she winked at him.

The third woman finished interviewing the civilian and started interviewing another. Avery saw Cloud looking and said, "She's a representative from the Silver Elite board. She's had the right trainings to approve new members into the club."

When Cloud continued to look confused he said, grinning, "We don't just let _anybody_ into the Silver Elite, you know? You have to answer questions about Sephiroth. Those questions have to be cleared by the board and an approved person has to ask."

"Oh," Cloud said. "The Keepers lets anyone in."

"We know," McLachlan said, curling her lip a little. "Believe me, we've seen some of the people in Angeal's fanclub." She laughed but nothing was funny, and Cloud frowned.

"Yeah." Avery blew a big bubble. Cloud suddenly remembered him—someone in his drills class before he'd transferred out had gotten in trouble on the first day for chewing gum. "I heard about a guy who was contracted to _kill_ Angeal and got pretty close to him at a Keepers event."

Moss butted in. "I don't know what you're talking about. Trust me—I'd know. Don't worry about that; the Keepers have a lot of really quality people, like these two."

Cloud glowed with pride for a couple seconds until the Lieutenant snickered, "If you say so."

"Assholes," Cloud whispered back to Latisha.

Up until the parade started their booth was really busy. Cloud handed out bookmarks and goodies and had some really good conversations with some people. He still didn't know nearly as much about Angeal as the other two but he'd learned enough to muster some enthusiasm for him and reel people in.

Some cute civilian girls Cloud's age gushed about Angeal and one kissed his cheek as they left. An elderly man waxed poetic about Angeal's strength and how inspiring his honor was. A very small duo of toddler twins each gave Cloud a hug after he walked around the table, crouched to their level, and put beads over their heads.

But as the parade started the crowds near the fountain thinned out. With less interruptions came more time for the fanclubs to talk, and things were a little… tense.

The Lieutenant told a story about how she'd been present at a joint meeting between SOLDIER and the Infantry that Sephiroth had attended. "He's just so _gorgeous_ in person," she said. "The full measure of his presence can't be conveyed through pictures. There were forty people in that room and I couldn't focus on anybody but him."

Cloud imagined what he'd do if he was in the same room as Sephiroth, his inspiration for joining the military, his first real crush.

Moss and Avery started trading stories. "Angeal disobeyed orders a couple months back. He got in trouble for it but he heard a child's cry for help and left his position to go save her. He carried her on his back to safety because her leg was broken."

"Sephiroth answered a call about a dragon. It was rampaging, and he climbed on its neck to stab down through the top of the skull, you know? But it took off flying. He rode the dragon a half hour south and killed it in front of the townspeople so they'd feel safe."

"Angeal took some pictures with his camera—he really likes his camera—and submitted them anonymously to a photo contest about wild chocobos found outside Mideel. One of his came in second place, and eventually it got traced back to him. Isn't that cute?"

"Did you know a couple assassins tried to kill Sephiroth last month? He was in the Tower—his apartment is up on one of the top floors. They _scaled_ the tower. People have tried coming in with helicopters and stuff but they always get shot down. So they studied the security cameras, found the blind spots, and climbed up the side with mako-powered suction cups. They didn't stand a chance once they got into his apartment though, of course."

"Angeal was really poor growing up, so he's always been very careful with the money he makes from ShinRa. He donates a lot of it to shelters around the city and doesn't spend money on things. He wears a _lot_ of the clothes the Keepers send him, and he uses our appliances and cooking things we send him. He posted pictures up on the ShinRa blog thanking us. I really respect him for a lot of the work he does."

"Yeah, well, Sephiroth was caught at the Gold Saucer secretly playing one of the arcade games in disguise. Someone recognized his signature moveset with the Warrior of Light's character—you know the one, from that one game. Anyway, so they said, 'Sephiroth?' and he quickly excused himself. But when they checked the screen they saw that he had just gotten the high score on the game which no one has been able to beat since then."

 _Yeah, okay,_ Cloud thought absently, gazing out at the fountain as he listened with one ear to all this. Everything coming out of Avery's mouth was utter bullshit. Or _Chocoboshit,_ according to Latisha, who was cracking Cloud up with the things she was muttering under her breath to him.

They did get some traffic during the parade at least. The Silver Elite got more. Moss and Cloud exchanged PHS numbers and Moss sent him and Latisha, whose number he already had, hilarious messages about their neighbors under the table. The parade ran for two hours. They could hear official sounding-trumpets and lots of synchronized marching. Cloud kind of wished he was in it… being in a parade sounded super cool.

This wasn't exactly just a celebration though—this was about displaying ShinRa's power and boasting about all their military conquests and economic takeovers in the past year. It was probably a good thing Cloud was on the sidelines advocating for Angeal and not in it, actually.

Half an hour before the end of Cloud's shift a SOLDIER came up to the Keepers booth. Second Class, dark spiky hair, looked vaguely familiar. "Hey Keepers of Honor!" he called as he approached.

Both Moss and Latisha sat up straighter. Moss had been facing away from Avery and McLachlan and rolling his eyes every time either of them spoke but now he was all smiles. "Zack!" he said, waving.

Latisha waved too, a tad shyly. "Good to see you!"

"Yeah!" This SOLDIER, Zack, put his hands on his hips and beamed at all three of them. He was tall… Cloud stared up at him. "Oh hey, who're you? I make it a point of introducing myself to all the Keepers."

Moss laughed even though Zack hadn't said anything tremendously funny. Zack winked at Cloud and held out a hand. Cloud stood from his chair and shook it politely. "Cloud Strife. Nice to meet you, man."

"Yeah, same. Nice accent."

"Yeah? You can tell?"

"Oh yeah. I'm not one of the _city-slickers_ like the rest of these guys." Zack pointed his fingers into a V and jabbed them at Latisha and Moss on either side of Cloud. Latisha giggled. "I'd recognize another country accent anywhere. Where you from?"

"Nibelheim."

"Gongaga."

Cloud snorted at the name of the place and Zack tilted his head, putting on a wounded expression. "Like Nibelheim is any better!"

"You've got me there. Nibelheim isn't better than anywhere in any category. Midgar's an improvement, trust me."

"Yeah?" Zack twisted his mouth, studying Cloud. He was a fucking hot dude. "Good thing you're here then."

"I think so." Cloud sat back down in his seat and Zack looked down at their table of goodies.

"Zack is Angeal's student," Latisha said to him, loudly enough so Zack could hear.

"Yup. At least a couple hours a day—me n' him. I like to dish stories to the Keepers when I can. Hey, do you gotta pay for these shirts?"

"You can have one for free," Moss said. His knees were bouncing excitedly under the table. "Free advertising for us. Do you have any good Angeal ones for us this time?"

"Hmmm. Let's see." Zack selected an I'M A HEWLEY GIRL shirt in his size. "Yesterday I accidentally scared Angeal when I barged into his bedroom. He was napping, but he shot awake so fast and looked so guilty that for a couple seconds I thought I'd walked in on him masturbating or something."

Moss's eyes seemed to have glazed over. He must have been thinking about Angeal jerking off. "Oh," was all he seemed to be able to say.

Cloud laughed. "Has anything like that happened before? If you're spending a couple hours a day with him…"

"We don't talk about that," Zack said, looking sheepish for a moment. Seemed like _he'd_ been the one walked in on before. Cloud snorted.

"Oh, hey, look at that Seph!"

The Sephiroth cutout seemed abandoned for a moment as the crowd was at an all-time low. Zack walked over to it and Cloud came around the table to follow him. He'd been _dying_ to snap a picture with it.

"How ya doin, Silver Elite," Zack said. Avery and McLachlan raised a hand hello but didn't seem nearly as interested in having a conversation with Zack like the Keepers did.

In a stage-whisper Zack told Cloud, "I always tell them I'm good friends with Seph but they never believe me. I have so much gossip on that dude for them…"

Cloud shrugged. As they stepped away another couple feet to properly appraise the Sephiroth cutout the blond said, "You might be better off. They're the first three Silver Elite members I've met and they all suck. It's a shame, because I really was thinking about joining…"

Zack raised an eyebrow at him. Cloud stared back for a second. "Oh—oh. Yeah, I'm more of a Sephiroth fan than Angeal, I guess." It felt good to finally confess that to somebody. "I'm kind of in the Keepers because of a mistake." He added hastily, because Zack seemed to like them so much, "I'm glad it worked out that way though, the Keepers are really great."

"A mistake? Will you take a picture of me with this thing?"

Cloud held Zack's PHS and got a picture of him lifting his leg suggestively over it and throwing his head back. He got Zack trying not to laugh and failing. "That's awesome," he said when he looked at the screen. He then looked at Cloud, waiting for an answer to his original question, amusement still playing on his lips.

"Oh, uh." Cloud shrugged awkwardly. "Well, my mom thought it was a club for like, people who wanted to wait for marriage until having sex. Yeah, it sounds ridiculous, but—'Keepers of Honor,' you know—"

" _No way,_ " Zack guffawed, holding his stomach. "What the hell, dude!"

Cloud didn't know what to do, so he punched Zack's shoulder. "Shut up! We don't have internet where I'm from and someone in town told her that!"

"Sorry," Zack said, wiping his eye dramatically. "That's just so great. Do they know that?"

Cloud spoke low and urgently. "No, and I don't wanna tell 'em. They think I like Angeal as much as they do. I don't _dislike_ him I guess, I just don't know much about him."

"Ah, but you're a Seph fan."

"Yeah." To change the subject, Cloud had Zack get a picture of him with the cutout. He put an arm around it and the other in his pocket and donned his best 'sweet country boy' smile.

"Cute," Zack said when he handed it back, and Cloud got the feeling he meant cute as in _cute,_ not cute as in 'adorable.'

It turned out Zack had been in the parade but in the front. Not the first guy, but in the first minute or so. He reached the end of the parade route and then dropped by. He told them that Angeal, Sephiroth and Genesis were towards the end and wouldn't finish the parade for another twenty minutes or so. He said he had some time to kill before he had to be somewhere and decided to hang out with them.

He mostly talked with Cloud as they had much in common. He showed Cloud his sword and even let him hold it for a minute, nodding his head in approval as Cloud commented on its balance and craftsmanship. "I'm gonna upgrade to a broadsword like Angeal someday, probably," he said. "Just 'cause that's his training style, you know? Even if he doesn't use the Buster like, ever."

Some of the people who came up to the Keepers table recognized Zack and gushed over him as much as Moss and Latisha had but mostly Zack just looked like any other SOLDIER—worthy of respect (or at least a wide berth) but nothing else.

"Someday soon I'll have my own table here," he said sourly, staring at his boots.

"Oh, I'm sure," said Latisha. It was so funny how these two Keepers ate out of this guy's palm.

As Cloud's shift ended at five and he was replaced by Radomír Lebedev Zack mentioned that he got a new video game. He was pleased to hear that Cloud had the handheld version of the game a good eight years ago.

"Yeah? You got plans for tonight, man?"

"Nah. I was gonna see if I could catch the tail end of the parade to see Se—er, Angeal, but it sounds like I missed him."

"You think you'd wanna swing by my place? Play the newest version?"

Zack watched him with his head tilted. His dark bangs fell into his bright eyes. "Oh," Cloud said. "Yeah, that'd be cool."

Grinning, Zack said, "Cool. Thanks for everything, Keepers! You wanna stick with me for a little while, Spike?"

Moss stared at Cloud with his mouth hanging open in an O-shape. Cloud sent him a look before he nodded and said, "Yeah, sounds good."

They waved the Keepers goodbye. Cloud's PHS buzzed; he checked it as he and Zack weaved through the crowd and it was a message from Moss. _dude I think you're on a date with zack fair_

 _I think I might be?_

Cloud squashed down the sudden nervous fluttering in his belly and tucked it away into his pocket.

* * *

 _Part 3/9 of Cloud's Birthday Week 2k16! :)_


	3. Chapter 3

In which Cloud gets one major step closer to Angeal. Thanks for reading!

* * *

"So how do you like ShinRa so far?"

"It's great. It's not what I expected, it's harder, but in good ways, you know?"

"Mmmhmm. I was never in the Infantry myself so I can't say, but I see and hear stuff about how tough it can be. You guys do good work."

"Oh yeah? Straight into SOLDIER?"

There was an exam to go straight into the SOLDIER program but it was ridiculously hard. Few members of SOLDIER got in that way. Cloud failed it.

"Yup! They saw how awesome I am and even gave me Angeal as a mentor a couple months into being a Third. That was… what, four years ago?"

"Yeah? How old are you?"

"Twenty-one. You?"

"Seventeen."

"Not old enough to drink, then; it's eighteen in Midgar. Well… don't worry about it. They'll let you in if you're with me. Oh—yeah, we're going to a bar, by the way. That cool with you?"

Zack had a lot of expression in his voice. Just listening to him speak was really nice. Because of the crowds Cloud mostly followed along behind him and not beside… but even that was okay, because while SOLDIER uniform pants were loose to allow movement occasionally someone with a truly rockin' ass would come along and pull them off. Zack was one of those.

"The drinking age in Nibelheim is fifteen."

"No shit?"

"Yup."

The bar was enough blocks away from the parade route to have room to walk around in. All the shops and other businesses they passed close to it were swarmed. Cloud didn't catch the name; he was too busy staring at Zack, at the cut of his jaw and the glow of his eyes and his white teeth surrounded by a kind smile.

"Hey man," Zack greeted the bouncer at the door. The bouncer gave Zack a bro-grab and waved them in without issue. There were some other SOLDIERs here… ones like Zack who must have finished their part of the parade or not been important enough to be in it.

Cloud and Zack sat at two stools at the end of the bar. The shelves holding the liquor glowed soft neon colors that cycled through the rainbow every minute or so. Cloud was a little nervous… he hadn't done anything like this before. Zack kept him relaxed though. The guy was just _chill_ , the kind of effortlessly nice that even put Cloud who was more prickly than a cactuar most days at ease.

"So are you on the SOLDIER track?" Zack asked, scooting his stool a little closer to Cloud's. Their knees brushed, and it may have been an accident but probably not. He was tall enough to block out most of the rest of the bar. Cloud felt safe and snug in his little corner.

"Yeah. Didn't pass the SOLDIER entrance test when I moved here so I'm gonna be in the Infantry for a few years."

"Bummer. But hey, it sounds like you're learning a lot of awesome things."

Cloud pulled out his wallet to see how much Gil he had before he ordered any drinks. Zack pushed his wallet away though (literally, placing his hand on Cloud's and letting his fingertips linger for a moment as he playfully pushed it back down into Cloud's lap) and said, "Don't worry about it, it's my treat! Today's a day to celebrate, yeah?"

So Cloud asked the bartender for his favorite, a brand of whiskey brewed in the Nibel region that was a fiery cinnamon. In the frigid mountains you needed a drink that could warm you from inside like that. Cloud liked it on the rocks, no mixer; Zack took a sniff and said, "Yeeeaah, no."

Cloud started to explain how he'd go to the bar back home every now and again, and how there wasn't much else to do back there. Small hometown discussion had done them well before. Zack listened closely, sipping at his beer. After a couple minutes he got distracted by something though; Cloud peered behind Zack at a woman walking over to them. She looked angry.

"Aw shit," Zack muttered to himself. "Y'know, I thought it was the _other_ bar we couldn't go to tonight. Dammit. Uh, hold on a sec Spike, sorry."

Cloud strained his ears and eavesdropped with all he had, of course. The woman was gorgeous, with dark skin and hair, wearing leggings that clung to her full-figured frame and a sequined top that showed off the curves of her stomach and shone under the bar lights. She looked dressed to kill…dressed for a date. Cloud sipped his whiskey and pretended to be busy on his phone.

"You didn't get my text?" he heard Zack say. "Aw, I see—here, yeah, it never went through. Mm. Yeah, no—no, he's in the Infantry. I'm under orders to…" Zack faded out a bit as he spoke softer and Cloud listened harder, frowning. "Mmhmm, important ShinRa business, babe… reschedule our date for tomorrow maybe?... you then, yeah…"

Cloud almost texted Moss about it, then realized that maybe this wasn't the kind of thing he wanted to tell anybody. Zack _had_ said earlier that he had 'somewhere to be' right about _now,_ but had cancelled on those plans to hang out with Cloud instead.

Had he ditched a scheduled date with that girl to go on a date with him instead?

Cloud took a gulp of his drink and turned it over in his mouth. SOLDIER Second Class Zack… was a dangerous guy.

Zack returned a minute later with a megawatt grin. "Sorry Spike!" he said, sitting down again. He caged Cloud's knees in with his own on either side, casual-like, but Cloud knew what he was doing. "Had a small misunderstanding with some girl I know. It's all good—what were you saying about the bar back home?"

Cloud stared into the face of who was undeniably a serial heartbreaker and didn't even mind it. "I was just saying that uh, everyone from town was always there. You don't realize how small your hometown is until half of it is in the bar every single night."

"Yeah, I know right! How many people are in Nibelheim? We had like eight hundred people."

"I think like four hundred."

Zack whistled. "It's amazing your town keeps thriving like that."

Even though Cloud was a little wary now that he'd seen Zack do what he had conversation still flowed so easily between them. Gongaga was hot and tropical with dust storms that had Zack covering his windows with cloth and plugging up the gap beneath his front door. He'd spent his childhood mucking through swamps and whacking lurking water monsters with wooden swords.

They played a little game where after their first drinks they picked out what the other should drink for rounds two and three. Cloud ordered Zack something with pureed bananas and lots of solid fruit chunks and then a supermug of cold lemony beer. Zack got him freakin' absinthe, with the flames and the sugar and everything, and then a very light cherry cocktail since the absinthe was so strong.

SOLDIER metabolisms were weird; Zack seemed to get solidly drunk for a couple minutes after he'd finish a drink but it faded fast. Cloud coasted upwards more gradually and stayed that way, nicely tipsy. They stopped after the third round and spent awhile just talking, Zack facing him and keeping him wonderfully separate from the rest of the establishment.

"You got any questions about SOLDIER?" Zack asked. It seemed he loved to talk about it—he knew it made him cool. "Glowing eyes? Super strength? Anything?"

"Hmmm." Cloud pretended to wooze in his seat. He put his hands on Zack's thighs to 'steady' himself. The fabric of the SOLDIER pants was a little scratchy against his palms and the muscles underneath it… strong and firm. Cloud didn't move them. "I heard some gossip at a Keeper meeting…"

"Oh yeah?" Zack raised an eyebrow. "Shoot."

"Your cum," Cloud said bluntly. "Does it glow?"

Zack's other brow joined the first. He let out a small disbelieving puff of air. "Uh?"

Cloud's hands slid a little higher up Zack's legs, millimeter by millimeter, so slowly he doubted Zack would notice until his fingers got close to the top of his thighs… and the bulge between them.

"Well, yeah," Zack said. "Not like, radioactive or glow-in-the-dark or anything—but it glows a little bit, yeah. You'd only notice if it's pitch dark and once it's been exposed to the air for a minute or two the glow fades."

"Does the Mako hurt a partner if it goes inside them?"

Grin. "You're awfully interested in my semen." Cloud just smiled, somewhat bashfully. "Nah it doesn't. Actually, it's a really good way to build up a tolerance for people with Mako allergies. Thirds have the weakest concentration, Firsts the most." Cloud nodded as he processed this, his fingers curling around Zack's thighs. "And there's another thing about it."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yup. The Mako kills STIs. All of 'em. Can't give 'em, can't get 'em. We don't catch colds anymore either—our immune systems are, like, superpowered. So you never have to worry about catching anything from a SOLDIER, even if they come inside ya."

Cloud breathed, "Woah." Zack hummed and covered Cloud's hands with his. He ran them down towards his knees and then back up, gentle, gentle… the intimacy of it and the look Zack was giving him made his breath catch.

Zack rubbed his thumbs over the back of Cloud's hands. "You still wanna come over and play video games?"

"Yeah."

Zack paid their bill and they left. It was a nice walk back. The crowd thinned some during the time they were inside, and although it was still much more crowded than usual it was not overwhelming. Cloud stuck his hands in his pockets and enjoyed his buzz, scuffing his shoes against the cobbled streets of this pretentious part of town. "You like Wutaian?" Zack asked. Cloud did, very much so (he'd had it for the first time after coming here), so Zack called in an order that was to arrive at Zack's apartment at the same time as him.

Zack had a lot of entertaining Angeal stories and he shared some as they walked. "He goes on these lectures," Zack said, "and most of the time they don't make any sense. Like, I'll say one thing and he'll reply with this big unrelated tangent. I've learned to just kinda go, 'Uh-huh, Angeal, whatever you say.'"

After all the things the Keepers said about the guy Angeal had almost become this larger-than-life figure to Cloud. It was good to have him brought back down.

The same ShinRa lobby seemed different with a SOLDIER at his side. It seemed smaller… or maybe Cloud felt bigger. One of the receptionists started to call something out and Zack cut her off with, "We'll talk later!"

They beat the delivery lady by two minutes. In these two minutes Cloud and Zack took off their shoes and Zack gave him the tour. It wasn't much—kitchen, living room, bedroom (gulp), bathroom… but it was a space just for Zack, and that was pretty awesome. Cloud insisted on paying for dinner and Zack let him. They sat on Zack's couch and spread out their collection of plastic containers, plates and bowls.

Zack's couch was comfy… really comfy. It faced a huge TV screen with a mess of game systems and wires underneath it. Zack didn't turn it on just yet—he angled himself towards Cloud. Chopsticks in hand, he asked, "So why'd you join SOLDIER?"

Cloud shrugged. He focused on his chicken for a minute, not saying anything... something about Zack had him answering pretty honestly though. "I wasn't much back in Nibelheim," Cloud confessed. "I only had one friend, and she wasn't so great to me half the time, though I wasn't great to her, either. It sucked, so—I guess I wanted to get out, and not be some… loser, you know?"

Cloud felt a bit silly. He hadn't meant to get all _tragic backstory_ on the guy, but eh. Zack did not make fun of him; he just said, "Yeah, I feel that. I wanted to be this big hero. Famous, saving people, all of that. I'm not on Angeal's level yet, but I think I'm getting there. My fanclub'll surpass his someday."

Zack snorted right after he said it, unable to deliver the joke straight. "Maybe people will join my club thinking it's a virginity thing—"

"Shut up," Cloud growled as Zack cracked up. He stabbed his chopsticks menacingly at Zack and stole some of his noodles in revenge.

"It _sucks_ not having fans. I mean—come on, I'm dashing, I'm funny. I got it all. It's only a matter of time. But not yet."

Zack's utter confidence in himself made Cloud laugh. Gaia, he wished he could be like that.

"Can I tell you something kind of pathetic?"

"Yeah."

"It's why I hang out with the Keepers so much. They _love_ me, but only 'cause I'm so close to Angeal, and they want me to tell them stories about him or introduce them. Which—y'know, it sucks, but it _is_ entertaining and boosts my ego so I do it anyways. Eventually I'm gonna have fans who like me the best and for the right reasons."

Zack looked a little glum so Cloud took a chance. "I just met you and I'm already a fan. You're a cool guy."

Slowly, Zack beamed. "You… cheesy little shit."

As they kept eating they shared mission stories. Zack also disapproved of what the Turks were doing but said they must be doing it for a reason. He'd done worse, he told Cloud. He told Cloud about a time he'd gone on a mission to Costa with Genesis and they'd gone surfing after it was over. Zack sucked but Genesis had been a natural. "Seph was just there for the last day… and he _refused_ to go out and swim because of the paparazzi. —Your eyes just _lit up_ Spike, I swear."

"They did not," Cloud said. (He loved how Zack kept using the nickname he'd come up with for him.)

"They did, like you just got solstice presents."

"They did not."

"They did, like—" Cloud didn't get to hear Zack's next comparison because his apartment door opened. In strolled Genesis Rhapsodos who apparently was a natural at surfing.

Cloud knew what the man looked like but it was super different seeing someone so famous in person. Genesis wasn't in his uniform, either, but a fancy-looking black suit with thin white pinstripes. He had a red dress shirt underneath and a black silk tie. Fancy.

"Hey Gen," Zack said casually.

Genesis' polished shoes clacked on Zack's hardwood as he came further inside. "Hmmm," he said, eyeing them with all their food everywhere. Guy had a pleasant voice— "At least this one is cute." — and an unpleasant attitude.

"Ignore him," Zack said, sounding annoyed. "We just like to piss each other off. This is my buddy Cloud, Genesis."

"I'm sure. I left that cake in your fridge and I decided I'm gifting it at this dreadful party."

"You're lucky I didn't take a slice of it yet." (Zack winked at Cloud after Genesis clicked into the kitchen, and held out a piece of broccoli. Cloud accepted and made eye contact as his lips closed around it.)

Genesis called back, "Well, of course not—you don't like carrot cake; that's why I made it in _your_ kitchen and not mine. It wouldn't last two days with Sephiroth around."

Zack chuckled. "That's true." He grinned wickedly. "Cloud here is in the Keepers—got any good stories for him?"

Genesis emerged with a plastic dome in his hands. "No. Don't use Zack to get to Angeal." Genesis said it dangerously, his pretty blue eyes narrowed at him.

Zack was awkward. "…Aw, he's just concerned 'cause that happened once or—"

"I'm not," Cloud answered. He steadied his container in his lap and met Genesis's gaze. "I'm only in the Keepers 'cause my mom made me join. I don't really care about getting to meet Angeal. And I'm not using Zack for anything; he invited _me_ over."

If Cloud had been a SOLDIER perhaps he would have been cowed. But Genesis wasn't his fucking CO. "Hmmm," Genesis said again, studying him. He sent Zack a look and left.

"Maaaan," Zack sighed. "Sorry about that Spike."

"It's fine." It really was. "It was kind of hot."

Snorting, Zack said, "Yeah, I think Gen gets off on people standing up to him too."

They packed away the food and Cloud had another glass of water. He slipped into Zack's bathroom to 'freshen up' in case they fucked (it was extremely likely).

As Zack turned on his game system he asked casually, "How drunk are you, Spike?"

"Barely."

"You bein' honest with me?"

"Yeah. Just the smallest buzz, seriously. The food helped. What about you?"

"Sober. So you played one of the old blitzball games?"

"Yeah. Blitzball Mania 2. The graphics were terrible. I never got anything after that." _Because we couldn't afford game systems as they got fancier and more expensive._

"Well, they've come far since the ages of _that_ bullshit. I think you're gonna like this."

As the game system started up Zack went into the bathroom and then his bedroom. He smelled minty-fresh now; Cloud could smell him as Zack flopped down next to him, closer than before. He was in jeans and a SOLDIER t-shirt now too, not his uniform.

Cloud tried not to blush. Neither was _talking_ about it. That sobriety discussion had come close but… other than that, this could have been your average playdate or hangout. Zack brought his legs up and crossed them. His knee now pressed against Cloud's thigh, lightly like an afterthought, and was not removed.

Alright then. Cloud accepted his controller and took a last sip of water. The coolness on his tongue calmed him, let him focus. "Are you good at this game?" he asked when he'd set it down on the coaster.

"I'm alright. I do well in single mode but always get my ass kicked if I play online against those who play it nonstop, you know? I'm too busy savin' people's lives to practice that much…"

Cloud snorted at Zack, making the guy grin. "Alright, sure. What are the controls?"

Zack pulled up multiplayer mode. "Top or bottom?"

"Top," Cloud sighed, rolling his eyes. The screen split in half horizontally and Cloud got the top half of the screen. Blitzball was a sports game. It was played in a big blue watery orb and two teams had to get the ball past the goalie into the net. Zack flicked through menus expertly and they selected their teams.

Cloud went for a well-rounded team while Zack's had high attack but low everything else. The players' faces were actually recognizable… unlike on the old crappy game Cloud played. In fact, they looked really darn realistic.

When the match started Zack held up his controller. He leaned down and closer to Cloud, his breath hot on his ear. "Press this button to switch between characters," he demonstrated. "When you're controlling someone you can see their stats up here…"

Zack led him through the rest of the controls. Hardly anything was the same as when he used to play. He didn't remember everything Zack said either. He was a little distracted by Zack speaking lowly to him, their shoulders touching now, Zack's hair tickling his neck. Cloud shuddered, and Zack's next sentence about Wither and other status effects seemed more indulgent than before.

Zack finally backed off a bit and they started the match. Zack's team stayed back on their half of the field for a minute as Cloud swam his players in circles and tossed the blitzball between them. "Okay," Cloud said, as it started to come together for him. "I think I've got it. The graphics are gorgeous."

"I know, right?"

The sunlight rippling through the water looked real. Cloud could see the textures on his team's ugly brown outfits. You could even move the camera far enough away to see the crowds screaming.

Eight players on a team. Three fielders. Four defenders. One goalie. HP. Endurance, Attack, Catch, et cetera. Got it. Cloud swam forward with his middle fielder, officially starting the match.

When Zack's controlled character got close Cloud passed to other players. He played hot-potato with it, trying to get someone out in the open who could sneak in to score. Zack intercepted one of his passes though, and with everyone else so far ahead, _he_ had the unobstructed access to Cloud's goal. He scored easily.

"Tough shit," Zack quipped.

Stopping Zack's team was hard—their attack stats were high. Cloud kept an eye on the screen and the other on Zack's hands, watching to see when he used special moves and learning button combinations for more complicated maneuvers.

"You suck," Cloud muttered as Zack's player and one of his both grabbed the ball at the same time. Both of them mashed the attack button as fast as they could and Zack came away with it.

Zack dipped a shoulder and banged him with it. He stayed like that though, closer now, with more of their bodies pressed together. Cloud quickly got the hang of it and soon they were battling in earnest.

Cloud frowned as he concentrated, keeping track of stats and player positions. Blocks, status effects, ball trajectories. When he first scored he raised his arms in the air and Zack said, "Lucky shot."

The first match ended when Zack hit five first; Cloud had only scored three goals. "Again?" Zack asked.

The second battle was more savage. Cloud had a strategy now. He used Zack's weak defenses to his advantage and kept the ball in his half of the sphere. When Zack broke away with it Cloud managed to save the goal maybe half the time.

Cloud was so into it he hardly noticed Zack's thigh moving over. Cloud's were spread now, his right leg hooked over Zack's left. If he shifted another inch Cloud could press his dick against Zack's leg. He did so casually.

The second match ended 5-4 in Cloud's favor. Cloud looked at Zack with the most smug, derisive look he could muster. " _Ha,_ " he said, and then, _"oof,_ " as Zack grabbed his waist and hauled him onto his lap.

They play-fought, wrestling the controllers out of hands and pushing at each other. Zack growled, "That second goal was bullshit," and Cloud responded, "No, your goalie just sucks." Panting around laughs, the two duked it out for another minute… then settled. Cloud sat firmly on Zack's lap, now facing the screen.

Zack hooked his chin over Cloud's shoulder. "Let's set this game to the unlimited mode." Rather than matches ending at five points like before or getting a time limit such as ten minutes this would go on indefinitely.

As Cloud changed the settings he brought his feet off the floor and folded his legs underneath him, alongside Zack's thighs. He shifted his weight to his knees momentarily to adjust himself, then sat back down. Zack's erection pressed against his ass.

Cloud squirmed a bit as the match started. He heard Zack inhale slightly, his chin still on his shoulder. Zack was so warm against his back… and his arms around Cloud's waist held him in place, snug. Zack held the controller in front of Cloud's belly.

The first goal was Cloud's. His fastest character zipped around and eluded the others and kicked the blitzball in without any blockers covering her. "Damn you," Zack muttered. The blunt curve of his canine pressed against Cloud's neck. He nipped at him; Cloud's hips rolled down as he gasped.

Zack got the next goal, and to reward him Cloud shifted his weight to his shins and knees and rubbed his ass on Zack's lap. He moved slowly. It wasn't enough to qualify as grinding, but it was stimulating for sure. Cloud did it again when Zack got a little too close to his goal. The distraction didn't work, but Zack chuckled into his ear.

Cloud's dick ached in his pants so he shifted his angle a bit to give himself some relief, not Zack. A breathy exhale left him as he frotted against Zack's leg. "Dammit," he swore as Zack got another goal.

"Too bad, Spike." Zack's voice dripped satisfaction.

Zack pulled at him, hugging his middle and coaxing him back against his chest. Zack leant back into the back of the couch. Cloud was flexible; it didn't hurt his legs to sit like this. The SOLDIER was warm, sturdy and broad… this was the kind of chest it was good to hide in, something safe. There wasn't time for that sentimental bullshit though; Cloud wanted to fuck.

When Cloud scored next they got a short cutscene of Cloud's fielder doing a victory swim. Zack's one hand left the controller during this and slipped under the waistband of Cloud's pants. _Finally._

Cloud didn't react, choosing to aggressively move the blitzball down the sphere. Zack's other teammates controlled by the computer were still formidable but Cloud was able to get past them. Zack's character swam in awkward circles back near the goal… because his other hand was curled around Cloud's dick now. He stroked it, his thumb smearing around the sticky drop of fluid beading from the slit.

Cloud squirmed more, stuck between rocking back onto Zack's erection and moving forward into his hand. He scored another goal.

Zack spoke huskily into his ear, "Now that's a little unfair, don't you think?"

"Don't know what you're talking about."

Zack let go of the controller entirely. Setting it aside, he pushed Cloud's pants and underwear down as much as he could with Cloud still sitting. "Damn," he muttered, squeezing Cloud's ass with both hands before gently smacking it, a request to move up. Cloud raised up on his knees and Zack pushed it all down to them. Once the blond sat back down and brought his legs up he was able to kick them off himself.

Then he was naked from the waist down and shuddering as Zack eased out his own cock from his jeans and it rested hot and solid against his ass.

Zack pulled him back and ground Cloud down onto it.

Cloud almost moaned out loud. That would have ended this game they were playing though… this thing where they weren't acknowledging that they were about to fuck on the couch.

They moved together, friction making them both breathe a little heavier. The SOLDIER was so hard, so excited because of _him_ ; it was dizzying.

Unfortunately, Zack was decent and wouldn't just stick his fingers in Cloud's body without asking. "Are you cool with—" he started to ask.

"Yeah," Cloud said, cutting him off. He brought his knees back to the couch cushions so he could get his ass up. He spread his legs a little and bent at the waist, bracing his hands and the controller on Zack's knees.

His ass looked great like this, he knew. (He'd learned a lot about his body in the past few months.) While bent over his cheeks spread slightly and exposed his hole.

A _click_ , and then slick coolness against him. Must've grabbed the stuff during his quick dip into his bedroom earlier. As Zack's finger slid into him Cloud moaned in his throat approvingly. Then he changed his grip on the controller, balanced on Zack's knees, and scored.

Another finger. Another goal.

Another finger. Three in Cloud now, loosening him up, crooking, finding the right spot that had Cloud's legs shaking. Goal, goal, goal.

Zack withdrew, then pulled a condom out of his pocket. Cloud looked away from the screen finally but only long enough to bat it away. Zack picked it back up and Cloud broke their silence to mutter, "I'd rather not. If that's something you're cool with."

Zack didn't answer. He scattered kisses to the top of Cloud's ass and base of his spine, then shifted him. Cloud's knees came up again. He sat on Zack's lap once more… though this time he reached underneath himself to grab Zack's cock and hold it steady as Zack, with his fantastic SOLDIER strength, held all of Cloud's weight… and lowered him onto it.

The guy was big. The head, and then the shaft, was hard and sticky and so, so _hot_ inside him. Knowing it was Zack's skin pressed to his flesh with no latex in between made Cloud's cock twitch between his legs, aching already. But instead of stroking it… Cloud scored points. Zack kept his t-shirt on but Cloud could feel his hard muscles through the cotton.

Zack's warm breath puffed against his neck. He inhaled, deep and gasping, as Cloud settled against him, all of Zack's dick inside. The exhale as Zack lifted him back up was deep and desperate.

Zack started to bounce Cloud in his lap. Cloud was not raised high; it was more like rocking, a sexy rut where Zack was so interested in being inside Cloud he wouldn't stand for withdrawing.

Cloud sighed, still clenching around the big thing in him. His head tipped back onto Zack's shoulder as the head stimulated his prostate. He eyed the TV through lowered lashes.

Zack's fingers tightened against his hips. "You feel amazing, you know," he whispered.

Cloud's answer was only a weak _aaah_ hh… as Zack went back to bouncing him. His face burned from the praise and warmth spread down his chest to his cock, flushed and bouncing along. The dick in him was even warmer, filling him with heat, and it radiated out in waves.

Goals. So many goals. While Zack's controlled character floated there, utterly still, the rest of his team struggled to stop Cloud's continuous offense. The AI could hardly keep up with Cloud now that he'd gotten the hang of the controls. After another couple minutes of this Zack tried to turn him. Resisting at first, Cloud stayed facing the TV until he scored one last time. Then he started to rotate and Zack's greedy hands grabbed his thighs and he got Cloud where he wanted all by himself. _Nice._

Facing Zack was a whole lot hotter than before. With rough, grabbing hands, Cloud seized both sides of Zack's face and crushed their mouths together. He pushed his tongue past Zack's lips and stroked it with as much as self-confident bravado as he had—he could tell it worked as Zack's mouth gaped slightly when Cloud said, "Cum inside me."

Zack then grinned his thousand watt playboy smile against Cloud's cheek. His cock made deliciously wet sounds as he helped Cloud ride it. "That an order, Infantryman…?"

Cloud rolled his eyes. He didn't want to say _yes it is_ or _no it isn't_ —he didn't want to play that game right now—he just wanted Zack to _listen_ to him already and fill him up with semen 'cause he was so excited for it he felt like he could just die from the wait. He decided to force it out of Zack his way instead of bothering to reply to that.

Zack had been lifting Cloud and up and lowering him all on his own with those strong SOLDIER arms. (Show-off—the self-satisfaction just oozed off this guy. _Check me out,_ everything Zack did said.) Cloud shrugged off Zack's hands, moving them from his thighs to his hips instead. The message was: _hold on tight._ Cloud looped his arms around Zack's neck and worked his legs so that he could ride him hard and fast.

Zack chuckled against Cloud's mouth as he realized that no Y _eah, it's an order_ or _No Sir_ was coming. Then he went back to gasping and sighing.

Cloud wrung that orgasm out of him. Zack got a little louder, his face scrunched up, then disappearing as it pressed into Cloud's shoulder and all he saw was black hair instead.

Cloud couldn't feel anything out of the ordinary as Zack came and during his own orgasm shortly after, but once he pulled out and warmth dripped out of him— _that_ was it.

"You're blushing," Zack panted, grinning.

After Zack scooted Cloud off his lap, stood, and pulled his t-shirt over his head (now damp in one spot from Cloud's cum), Cloud checked out the TV screen. He unpaused it and ended the match.

Final score: 68 to 12.

Zack padded, naked, into the next room and Cloud stayed where he was. That score…

Later, after Cloud pushed him into his bedroom for another round—a proper one, with no games this time—he asked Cloud about it, the blitzball thing. The infantryman just laughed and waved it off.

* * *

Under the desk Cloud fiddled with his PHS. No one really cared. Half of the Keepers of Honor didn't come regularly, and they weren't strict about not doing paperwork or texting during meetings. The Keepers were chill like that.

(Once someone joked that Silver Elite meetings must have been like how movies always showed cult meetings. Dark hoods. Rhythmic chanting about Sephiroth. They probably had a song with an orchestral accompaniment and everything. A big bin sat by the door for PHSs so everyone could give Sephiroth their creepy, undivided attention and so no one could leak fanclub secrets.)

Still, Cloud's friend Tom Moss was addressing the group and he didn't want to be rude. Cloud moved his PHS to his pocket, but he still ran his finger over the corner of it as he thought.

"I hope you're all still training for the fanclub Olympics," Moss was saying. "They sneak up on us every year. There's going to be a joint fundraiser with Red Leather in two weeks at a club downtown, location TBD. It's for wildlife rehabilitation in the Banora region. Yesterday I met with the Infantry director of the Silver Elite and we talked about the incident from the shampoo distribution event last year and. . ."

The pad of Cloud's thumb slid over the home button. He planned out his text in his head.

 _Hey Zack, what's up?; How you doin'?; What's good man?; Hey, I hope you've been well._

That first message after hooking up with someone had to be perfectly crafted lest unnecessary awkwardness ensue. It was awkward already… Zack told him he'd text Cloud so they could hang out but he'd gotten nothing after five days. It was up to Cloud to try it.

As everyone trickled out of the borrowed room after the meeting Cloud hung back.

Moss already grilled him on the 'date' the day after the parade so he didn't take advantage of having Cloud alone in the room other than ruffling his hair affectionately and telling him "See ya on Thursday, Cloud."

"Later."

Cloud stared at the blinking cursor on his PHS' screen. _How's the week been treating you?_ perhaps…?

What was a guy like Zack Fair doing with his late afternoon? Training, maybe. Stretching out on his couch after a same-day mission maybe. He could be with Angeal Hewley right now actually, shooting the shit or working hard while totally unaware of all the infantry who had just gathered together to sing Angeal's praises.

Was Zack on a date with today's latest fling? Maybe he'd lied his way out of retaliation from that one woman who he'd ditched for Cloud and sweet-talked his way into another chance. Maybe he had her in his apartment right now.

(If Zack _did_ have someone in his apartment—if he _was_ playing Blitzball Mania 2 with someone else, using the same moves on them that he'd used on Cloud, he'd turn on the screen and see Cloud's spectacular high score, 68 to 12, on the top of the screen. Every time Zack played that game from here on out he'd get that small reminder of the blond teenager he'd picked up at the Keepers of Honor booth at the parade, and that was the whole point of Cloud stubbornly scoring all those goals in the first place. Cloud Strife left his mark, even on guys like Zack.)

Regardless of what he was doing, it didn't bother Cloud—really. Honest.

He settled for a quick _Hey Zack. What's new?_ and left for his bunk.

* * *

Two days later he still had no response. Cloud didn't really stress over it—or at least, not until an entire week later, when he still had not heard from Zack. He even sent a follow-up text at the four day mark, a simple _Hey!_ but no, nothing.

"I'm kind of annoyed," Cloud sighed to Wilde. Both their fingers ached from breaking down and reassembling their rifles so many times. Cloud didn't _like_ his rifle very much, but at least he was getting good with it. "I get that he's weird about people who want to—cling to him, and stuff, but he won't even hang out with me again?"

Wilde blew gently on her finger. She'd pinched it while inserting the magazine earlier and it bled. "Well, considering that you two slept together he probably thinks that you want to date him and he's ignoring you so he doesn't lead you on."

"Well. Zack's got a big enough head. He probably thinks _everyone_ he sleeps with falls for him and he's gotta avoid them after that."

"Seems the type."

They'd reached the point where they split up to stow their weapons in their separate bunkers. "Still bleeding?" Cloud glanced at Helena's thumb. "C'mon, I've got a first aid kit" (courtesy of his mom's last care package).

As he bandaged up her hand he offered a few suggestions as to how to get Zack to stop ignoring him. When it came down to it an in-person meeting seemed best.

Cloud got his chance thanks to Sandy Li. She put out her feelers and got back to him about a tattoo artist of hers who knew a girl who was a bartender at a place in Sector Four who Zack promised that he'd swing by on Saturday night.

And like a real creep, like exactly the kind of ex-hookup Zack was trying to avoid, Cloud decided to go. He, Karan, and Tom Moss camped out at a table early in the evening and settled down to wait. (They had to bribe the bouncer at the door with 50 Gil since Karan and Cloud were 17, and the two Infantry were sour about it.)

Karan's friend Everett showed up early in the evening to their delight. Hanging out with the most glamorous nurse in the Infantry corps was apparently much more interesting than endless mozzarella sticks and waiting for Zack Fair to show up.

One person down.

Moss was all giggly at the thought of meeting Zack Fair again because he was so close to Angeal—he demanded all the details of Cloud's date with Zack before, though Cloud gave him the extremely abbreviated version.

A pro-ShinRa civilian was giving Moss the _eye_ though. He was fairly Angeal-ish with scruff and big arms and dark hair. After his second drink Moss elbowed Cloud out of the way and went over 'to say hi.'

Nine o'clock and two people down.

Stubbornly, Cloud stayed there. He politely declined when a pretty woman— _so_ pretty—asked if he needed some company. A guy across the room bought him a drink; Cloud thanked the bartender for bringing it over and drank it all without ever looking in his direction. Savage.

Nine twenty-seven, Zack Fair entered the establishment. He was not in his uniform this time, looking far more casual in a civilian outfit. He grinned in a familiar way with the bartender—Li's contact probably—and tapped his foot to the loud music as he waited for his drink.

Cloud gave him ten minutes.

When the stool next to Zack's at the bar emptied Cloud surged from his booth across the room and slid into it. Zack kind of casually glanced his way, mid-sip of whiskey, and looked over again a moment later, Adam's apple bobbing as he choked a little.

"Hey," Cloud said, "You want one?"

Zack took a mozzarella stick but _man,_ he looked uncomfortable.

Think fast. "I'm here with some friends." He gestured behind him in the direction of the table, realizing too late that his friends were now off on their own. "Saw you come in. How you been?"

"Pretty good." Zack smiled but his body language clearly said he didn't want to chat. He was leaning away a little and looking around the bar.

Was it better to be direct or not?

Indirect: "You meeting anyone here, or…?"

"Heh, heh. Nah—figured I'd come and meet some new people, y'know?" Zack laughed awkwardly.

Direct: "I was wondering why you haven't been answering me back. Did I do something to make you feel weird?"

Zack didn't answer for a moment. He looked flummoxed. A previous version of Cloud Strife may not have had the guts to be so straightforward with something like this (if indeed the previous Cloud Strife _did_ this kind of thing, sleeping with a playboy and pursuing his friendship afterward) but the Cloud he was now, a Cloud who was still in progress, was stubborn enough and didn't _care_ enough to say stuff like this.

"Look buddy," Zack said, sighing. His shoulders drooped, his mouth turned down, and he fixed Cloud with a look that was all kicked puppy—it was impossible to get mad at a guy like this. "I just don't want to break your heart, you know?" He reached out and touched Cloud's knee. "We had a good time, but I'm just not lookin' for somethin' serious right now. You're a great dude, and any guy would be lucky to have you." His thumb rubbed the side of Cloud's leg, reassuring, and then it retreated. "I've hurt too many people and I sure as hell don't want to hurt you too."

Cloud could have laughed. The whole thing sounded rehearsed—especially that last line. Briefly he wondered how many people he'd said that one to.

He didn't laugh however. Cloud just said, "Yeah, those would be valid concerns if I was actually looking to date you. I genuinely just want you to be my friend. I thought we had a pretty good time before the sex and all—like at the bar, when we were talking, and when we hung out at your place." He shrugged. "But hey, if you honestly don't think we'd be good friends, I get it; I'll leave you alone."

Zack hesitated, and Cloud knew he'd won. Obviously they'd had a really awesome connection or Cloud wouldn't even be here—but with Zack also being from a small town, and them having similar interests and their senses of humor syncing up just right, Cloud knew that Zack secretly wanted to be Cloud's friend too.

Zack's silence stretched on.

"I'll prove it to you," Cloud said. "Need a wingman?"

Five minutes later Cloud was across the room again, now waiting and watching. As the bar continued to fill up, Zack struck up conversation with a woman passing by. He did the whole rubbing the back of his neck thing, and Cloud predicted his Gongagan country drawl was making an appearance.

She was seriously pretty, with long black hair and olive skin. The colored lights over by the bar twinkled off of the glittering jewelry on her neck and hands. Zack gave her his seat at the bar and stood for a bit as they chatted until the seat next to her was vacated. Then they talked with Zack's knees caging hers in like he had sat with Cloud.

The signal was Zack raking his fingers through his hair from scalp to the back of his neck. He did it in a way that looked totally natural, him shaking his bangs slightly when he was done. Insert dreamy smile and his thumb rubbing circles against the back of her hand.

Cloud casually walked by them, glancing at Zack. Then he did an exaggerated double-take. Then he stopped altogether.

"Oh my god," he said. "Are you Zack Fair?"

Zack looked away from his potential date like it pained him to do so. "Uh, hello? Can I help you?"

Cloud brought his hands up to cover his mouth. "Holy shit—it _is_ you. The First Class SOLDIER." He got closer, invading their space, smiling apologetically at the bemused-looking lady on the stool. "Look, I'm in your fanclub, and—"

"Aaah." Zack waved a hand, looking cool as a cactuar. "Shucks, I appreciate it kid but I'm kinda busy right now—"

"No," Cloud persisted, "Can I please have your autograph? You probably don't remember me, but you saved my hometown from all those monsters last spring." He racked his brain for the name of a town, eyes darting frantically up and down the bar counter. "…Mustardville. You saved all of us."

Zack's eye twitched at _Mustardville_ but he rolled with it. "Aw, I'm just doing my job. Saving people is what I do."

"I just can't believe I'm meeting Zack Fair in person, my grandma isn't going to believe it. Are you sure I can't—"

"I'm gonna need some space, man. I'm busy talking to my friend Jendayi here and I'd like to focus on her." Zack turned to Jendayi and gave her a besotted look.

Cloud gushed over Zack for another half a minute and then slunk off looking despondent. Behind him, Zack said something like _Ugh, I'm sorry you had to see that, it happens all the time_ and Cloud rolled his eyes.

* * *

Towards the tail end of the next Keepers meeting Cloud's PHS buzzed with a message. He waited until Radomír Lebedev's slideshow of pictures from Angeal's latest mission to Junon was finished, then pulled it out.

 _Hey Spike. Thanks for the assist last night (Mustardville?). Everything went well. ;) You doing anything tonight? My training with Angeal ends at 8 and then I was thinking of renting a DVD or something. Lemme know._

Score.


End file.
